New Moon
by Jenn Lynne
Summary: On Hold: On July 10th 1996 Harry Potter disappeared from his home, number four Privet Drive, in the midst of a Death Eater attack. He was not seen again for over seven years... and he did not return alone.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters.

  


Author's Note: This is a new computer and when my old one is fixed I will continue all other stories. Please enjoy this new story, for I am certainly enjoying writing it and please review. Thank you for reading.

New Moon  
  
  
_"__Luna"  
  
The new moon rises…  
warm rays of perfection  
wash over  
and I remember the sun.  
_  
  
  
Prologue  
July 10, 1996  
  
A bright flash of silver light flashed behind his tightly closed lids…  
  
Harry jerked into a sitting position, panting and sweating, knowing that this dream, like so many before it, was more than just a dream. His labored breathing rattled unsettlingly in the still air that surrounded him at two in the morning.  
  
Harry looked at Hedwig's cage… praying he wasn't alone, but the cage stood empty, she had gone hunting.   
  
He looked away from the empty cage and concentrated on the dream. It was hard to recall, harder than the others…  
  
Harry's heart skipped a beat. His eyes darted madly around the room for his wand. Then he remembered… his wand was locked in a drawer in the kitchen, compliments of his Uncle Vernon.  
  
He snatched a paperclip from the desk and ran from the room noisily, not caring who heard him. He slid on his socked feet into the kitchen on the clean linoleum tile. His body ached at the sudden exertion. He hadn't, after all, left his bedroom since he arrived home for the summer holidays. The only time he had been out of his room was when he had arrived at number four and his Uncle had taken his wand and let Harry watch as he locked it in the drawer next to the sink. That and the occasional trip to the privy.   
  
The offending drawer sat before Harry as he removed the paperclip from his pocket.  
  
A thudding overhead made him freeze… He must have woken Uncle Vernon for the large man was headed for the stairs at that very moment. Harry hurriedly picked at the lock, willing it to open. Vernon entered the kitchen. The light from the full moon reflected off his angry features as he opened his mouth to yell at the boy before him.  
  
However, before Vernon Dursley could so much as utter a sound, the front door burst open in a shower of wood splinters.  
  
Harry turned away from the Death Eaters he knew were entering the living room. He tried desperately to force open the drawer, pulling against it with all his weight. With a snap the wood cracked and the drawer flew open. His wand took to the air and over his head. By the time he turned around it had landed, almost delicately, in the hand of the Death Eater that had just cast the killing curse on his Uncle. The Death Eater's own wand was pointed at Harry's chest and Harry heard a low rumble of laughter from the man.  
  
Harry closed his eyes tightly, welcoming death. His last thoughts were that he would get to see his godfather again, and he'd finally meet his parents.  
  
A bright flash of silver light flashed behind his tightly closed lids… and Harry Potter was gone.  
  
  
Over Seven Years Later…  
September 8, 2002  
  
A silver haze of fog covered the valley floor. A streak of lightening split the fog and hit the Earth below with a heavy thud that cracked and splintered the silence. Where the lightening and Earth had connected three figures now stood. Dark capes covered their bodies and hoods held their faces in deep shadow.  
  
Two of them were adults, and one was a teenager. The tallest adult wore a dark green cape, the other adult, not much shorter, wore solid black and the teenager a muted, worn sort of dark maroon.  
  
The tallest of the three looked at the black clad man beside him. "Are we there?" he said with obvious humor in his voice.  
  
"Yes." The other man replied, "I'm home."  
  
The boy turned sharply toward the two adults. "You mean to tell me, all that stuff was actually true? All those crazy stories?" his voice held his disbelief almost tangibly and the tallest laughed.  
  
"Of course it was the truth. Harry wouldn't lie to us." The tallest said while clapping Harry firmly on the shoulder.  
  
"Of course he'd lie to us!" the boy almost yelled in exasperation.  
  
"Maybe to you kid, but not to me." And with that the dark green clad man turned his complete attention to the other adult, Harry. "So, where are we off to?"  
  
Harry didn't reply but began to move out of the valley to a road at its base. He pushed the cape away from his left hip, revealing a large broadsword with an intricately designed hilt and sheath. The sword looked heavy and pulled at his belt, it was longer than the typical broadsword by at least a foot and a half. He reached past the sword were a long thin piece of wood was firmly tucked into his belt. He gently extracted the long black wand, it had carved runic symbols up its length, and it was a good two feet long. He raised his hand upward and sparks flew from the tip of the long, delicate wand.  
  
In the pause that followed Harry returned the wand carefully to his belt. There was a sudden bang as the silence was once again broken and a double-decker bus came to a thundering halt before them. His companions stepped back at the sudden appearance of the machine, but Harry did not. The door opened and Harry handed the man several coins, which he took from a small pouch attached to his left sleeve.  
  
"Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." He said as he boarded. He looked back at his friends when he noticed that they weren't following. "Come on you two, it's just the Knight Bus, it doesn't bite."  
  
His two friends slowly made their way into the vehicle and it thundered off again before they even found a place to sit.  
  
  



	2. Chapter One: Back to Hogwarts

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoys chapter one. Please Review!

  


New Moon

  


Chapter One: Back to Hogwarts  
  
The sun had risen several hours ago. Harry and his two companions watched Privet Drive carefully. Harry's emerald eyes scrutinized the front door of the house he had once lived in. He knew the Dursleys no longer resided there, in fact, Harry knew that the Dursleys were dead. Even knowing all this hadn't prepared Harry for someone else occupying the house. With a sigh Harry moved out of the shadows and approached number four.  
  
When he reached the front door he removed his hood, not wanting to scare the current residents. His companions copied his actions as though unsure of the proper educate for the situation. 

  


Harry knocked soundly on the door.  
  
"Hello?" said a pleasant looking woman as she answered the door. She was pregnant, 8 months along at least. Her hair and eyes were brown and she wore a white apron over her light blue dress.

  


Harry smiled politely at her. As he spoke he stuttered, unsure of what to say, "Hello, you don't know me but, er, I used to live here. You see I had this secret space under the floorboards of my old room where I used to hide things, and, well… er… I was wondering if I could get what I left there?"  


The women's brow furrowed. "When did you last live here?"

  


Harry rubbed the scar on his forehead in a nervous sort of fashion. "A little over seven years ago, I just got back from a long trip."

  


The woman seemed satisfied with the answer and smiled brightly at him. "Come on in!" she said excitedly.  
  
Harry was startled at how easily she had let him into her home. He nodded his thanks and headed for the stairs, wanting to be in and out as quickly as possible. He heard the woman offer his companions tea, but they declined... they didn't know what tea was anyway.  
  
They all followed Harry upstairs, the woman, who introduced herself as Mary, talked animatedly about the house the whole way. When Harry entered his old room he was surprised at how clean it looked. It had been set up as a guest bedroom.  
  
Harry quickly removed the loose floorboards beside the bed and began to remove the contents. The tall figure in the green cape distracted Mary from his friend's actions, hoping she wouldn't notice the strange items Harry was removing from the floor.  
  
Harry suddenly stopped, startled, when he found his old wand sitting benignly on top of an old school book. His wand had been in the Death Eater's hand… how it got in the floor in his room was beyond him. After a moments hesitation he slipped the thin piece of wood into his belt beside the long black wand he kept there. Then he removed a few more books, an old looking piece of blank parchment that Harry knew as the Marauder's Map, his invisibility cloak, and finally what he had missed the most of all his possessions, the photo album Hagrid had given him in his first year, filled with pictures of his parents and friends.  
  
Harry reached back to his side and fingered the long black wand for a moment, he hesitated, before moving to the other wand that sat at his side. He pulled it back out and, muttering softly, shrunk the items with a wave of it. He was unafraid of discovery, he knew his friend was keeping Mary well distracted. The teenage boy had seen him however, and stared at him in awe, unaware that such magic was possible.  
  
Harry replaced the floorboards and stood in one graceful movement, causing the teenager to stagger back in alarm a moment. "We should be going now. Thank you Mary for your hospitality."  
  
~*~*~  
  
As Mary silently closed the door behind them she smiled. Stretching, she walked to the fireplace at the other end of the room. On the table beside the hearth were a few ceramic nick knacks and she picked one up. Opening it, she took from inside a pinch of white powder, which she threw into the empty hearth. Green flames burst forth from nothing and she cleared her throat and called out "Albus Dumbledore!"   
  
An old man in dark blue robes walked out of her fireplace a beat later. He wiped his half moon shaped spectacles with one of his sleeves while his light blue eyes twinkled at Mary. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity at her expression.  
  
"He's just been here Albus. It was Harry Potter alright, he had the scar and everything." Mary said excitedly.  
  
Albus Dumbledore couldn't help the broad smile that swept over his features. "How long has he been gone?"  
  
In answer Mary led Dumbledore to the nearest window and pointed out to the street where three hooded figures walked down the center of the road, seemingly without a care in the world. Albus laughed lightly at the sight of them. He thanked Mary with a nod and headed outside to pursue the retreating figures.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Lovely day, isn't it Mr. Potter." Albus Dumbledore asked in a pleasant voice from a few feet behind the three.  
  
Harry's companions turned, startled, and stiffened. Harry didn't move, but he let out a low chuckle that rumbled pleasantly in the light breeze.  
  
"So she was a witch… I was wondering about that." Harry finally turned, dropping his hood. The 22-year-old Harry Potter was very different from the boy Albus had seen over seven years ago. Harry was tall and muscular, though not oppressively so, more like a swimmer, or a football (soccer) player. His hair was the same, and his eyes were still that vibrant shade of emerald green but without the glasses, they also no longer held the despair and anger they had immediately after his godfather's death. He wore a single earring in his right ear, it was a sword, dangling delicately from his lobe, completely silver. Harry smiled affectionately at his former headmaster. Albus stepped forward and embraced him in a friendly hug.  
  
When they separated Harry's companions removed their hoods. The man in the dark green cape had dark chocolate brown hair that reached a few inches below his shoulders and bright blue eyes, his smile was wide and welcoming. His frame was like Harry's, that same muscular, but not too muscular, appearance. He also wore a single silver sword earring in his right ear. The boy in the muted maroon cape looked no older than thirteen or fourteen. He had golden-blonde hair cropped short and neat above his ears and hazel eyes.  
  
Harry stepped to an angle and gestured to his long-haired companion, "This is Sage and his apprentice" he gestured to the young blonde "Kip."  
  
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as he examined Sage, the man wore an amused expression, but Dumbledore felt something different about him, he felt it in Harry too. He turned his gaze toward Kip. Kip smiled sheepishly and his eyes were downcast under the scrutiny of Dumbledore's wizened eyes.  
  
After a few moments of polite introduction the small party decided to move back to Number Four for safety reasons. Mary fed them coffee cake and tea, which neither Sage nor his apprentice tried anything until watching Harry casually eat/drink the food products. Dumbledore watched them with curiosity.  
  
After finishing a particularly large piece of coffee cake Harry turned to his former headmaster again. "We were actually headed for Hogwarts when you intercepted us, I thought you might be willing to fill me in on what I've missed." Harry said quite casually.  
  
Dumbledore looked at him, his expression hard to read. "I thought it would be more difficult than that to begin this conversation, I thought you were going to give me a hard time." He smiled in a sort of sad way and didn't make eye contact with Harry. "However, this is not the place to be having this conversation. Shall we move to my office?"  
  
Harry nodded once, his expression sobered. Sage looked up at the two, eyes panicked and face covered in coffee cake crumbs. "But we just started getting comfortable here!" he whined, glancing sadly at the rest of the cake on his plate.   
  
Dumbledore and Harry both smiled and Kip rolled his eyes. "I'll rap some up for you and you can eat it later, okay?" said Mary looking down at Sage with eyes dancing. He smiled widely and Mary packed him a hearty portion of the remaining cake.  
  
Dumbledore led them to the living room and removed a handful of white powder from his pocket. Sage and Kip looked at it curiously as Harry backed away from Dumbledore's hand as if the harmless looking powder would mean his death.  
  
"I think I'll apparate to the Shrieking Shack and walk from there, sir." Harry said as he backed away, bumping into the sofa.  
  
Dumbledore laughed. "You can apparate? Well that's fine with me, I'll wait for you in my office the password is Jelly Belly." With that he turned toward the fireplace and threw in the powder. Kip jumped clean off the ground when green flames leapt into the hearth and Dumbledore stepped in and disappeared.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry held the knot at the base of the Whomping Willow down with his toe as Sage and Kip exited the tunnel. All three had replaced their hoods for Harry didn't want to have too much trouble getting to the headmaster's office. Kip looked questioningly at Harry as he exited the tunnel and stepped back a few paces from the tree. Harry looked over his shoulder at him.  
  
"You might want to be a little further away from this tree when I unfreeze it Kip."  
  
Kip's brow furrowed and he looked as though he were about to ask Harry a question when Sage placed his hand on the boys shoulder and pulled him away from the tree.  
  
Harry let his foot slip off the knot as he dove away. He felt the limbs come to life and strike at him and felt the wind whip by as one passed just over his back. He rolled out of its reach and after a moment the tree settled again. Kip looked down at Harry, horrified. He glanced at the vast forest to his left.  
  
"Do all the trees here attack people?" he asked.  
  
"No Kip," said Harry following his gaze, "there are much worse things in the Dark Forest then Whomping Willows."  
  
Harry moved passed Kip and headed for the huge castle that loomed above them. With a chuckle Sage followed and shortly after a nervous Kip joined them.   
  
Halfway to the entrance Harry saw three people he hadn't expected to see at all, at least not for a few days. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin were walking together toward the entrance at that very moment. They seemed to have been coming from Hagrid's. Harry took a deep breath and proceeded forward, trying not to pay much attention to them.  
  
Hermione spotted them and whispered something to her companions who turned and looked for a moment as well. Harry nearly laughed when he saw Ron shrug and turn back as though they weren't important. Harry looked at the three from the corner of his eye, he had missed them, he knew it, but none more than Hermione. It had shocked him at first, to discover that he had feelings for one of his best friends, but over time he had come to accept his feeling and he was now fairly comfortable with them. She had certainly grown up, he mused as he watched her. She had filled out and her hair had tamed.  
  
Harry and his friends reached the entrance just behind the others. After taking a few steps Harry heard a very familiar snide voice speak from his right.  
  
"If it isn't the Weasel, the Mud-blood and the Werewolf." Said Draco Malfoy as he rounded on the three. Harry felt the heat of his anger boil into his face as he looked at the greasy blonde he had disliked so long ago.  
  
"Sod off Malfoy!" Ron yelled. Remus put a hand on Ron's shoulder as Draco took a step forward.  
  
Malfoy looked about ready to speak again when he caught sight of the three hooded figures watching him. He looked at them casually. "I don't know who you are but this doesn't concern you."  
  
Sage took an aggressive step forward but Harry held up his hand for him to stop. Malfoy sneered momentarily, but it turned into fear and surprise when he found the black caped figure in front of him with a long, sharp sword held firmly parallel to his throat. Harry controlled his breathing as he tightened his already tight muscles and held the sword firmly in place.  
  
"It's a warning." Sage said calmly from behind Harry, his voice soft but firm. "He's telling you to watch your mouth."  
  
Malfoy blinked a few times as he tried to back away. Harry moved with him, pressing the blade just a little more firmly against his throat. Malfoy got the hint and moved no more.  
  
It was at that moment when Snape rounded the corner. Instantly he had his wand raised and pointed at Harry. Before he could even mutter a curse however there was a sword at his throat as well. Sage held his sword tightly against the man's throat in his own warning.  
  
"Stay out of it." Sage snapped at the greasy potions master.  
  
Snape looked ready to protest but seemed to think better of it. Harry leaned in closer to Malfoy and spoke to him very quietly. No one but Malfoy heard what he said but the blonde man nodded stiffly. Harry moved the blade from his throat and sheathed it. Sage followed his actions after a moment and the two started walking away, Kip at their heels. For a moment no one pursued, but then several sets of footfalls followed them and Snape's angry voice spoke as he hastened his walk to catch them.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" He had his wand raised again.  
  
"To speak to your headmaster." Sage answered when Harry didn't.  
  
"Snape don't!" Remus cried suddenly, but it was too late. Snape was now blocking their path.   
  
"Stupify!" he yelled pointing his wand at Harry's chest.  
  
Harry raised his empty hands and held them out in front of him with his elbows locked. A silver mist swirled around his arms, solidifying, then striking out. It met Snape curse in the space that separated them with a loud snap. Snape's curse disappeared and Harry's spell hung there for a moment before dissolving. Snape snarled and readied himself for another attack when a similar purple energy lifted him from the ground, it clapped and snapped like electricity as it held him several inches in the air. Harry looked over his should at Sage who was attacking Snape. He held up his hand and Sage put his hands down, the energy disappeared. Snape sank to the ground and sat there looking up at the two men with a mixture of hate and awe.  
  
The stone gargoyle beside him jumped aside and the headmaster's head peaked out from the entrance to his office. He looked from Snape to Harry to the others then back to Harry again.  
  
"Professor Snape," Dumbledore began pleasantly. "You remember Mr. Potter." Snape's eyes widened as he looked at the figures before him. Hermione gasped but no one else made a sound.  
  
Harry lowered his hood, smiled at Snape and moved past him to Dumbledore. Sage and Kip followed silently. Harry walked past the headmaster and headed for his office.  
  
After the three had ascended the stairs and disappeared from sight Dumbledore looked questioningly at the four still in the hallway.

  
  
  


(A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed!

  


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	3. Chapter Two: The Hall of Bask

Standard Disclaimer applies.

  


Author's note: Enjoy chapter two. 

  


New Moon

  


Chapter Two: The Hall of Bask  
  
Five minutes later Albus Dumbledore entered his office. Harry looked to be pointedly avoiding the gazes of the many portraits that seemed to recognize him, especially that of Phineas Nigellus. Phineas, for his own part stared at Harry nearly unblinkingly and every few seconds his mouth would open as if to speak and then, as it would seem, he would think better of it and close his mouth again. Sage was staring off into the space between the chair he occupied and Dumbledore's desk, fixedly, as though his thoughts were too all consuming to leave room for anything else. Kip stared at the perch to the right of Dumbledore's desk, on which a very healthy and proud phoenix sat. Fawkes looked back at the boy curiously.  
  
"Well," Dumbledore began as he sat behind his desk "not back twenty-four hours and you've already attacked two people." He looked at Harry from over his half moon shaped spectacles with a funny little smile playing on his lips.  
  
Harry met his gaze unwaveringly. "I attacked no one. I gave Malfoy a warning and I didn't touch Snape, he attacked me."  
  
"and then I attacked him." Said Sage clearly from Harry's right, startling the headmaster with his abrupt attention. He seemed defensive now, less welcoming, as though Dumbledore's accusation, even if he was joking, had triggered a protectiveness for his friend.  
  
Dumbledore looked at them in surprise a moment before smiling. "I thought the facts had been skewed. It was only Professor Snape who was willing enough, or in the capacity, to tell the story." He didn't seem inclined to elaborate as to why that was, but Harry let it be. "So what happened on that night more than seven years ago Harry?"  
  
Harry smiled at Dumbledore and glanced toward Sage who raised an eyebrow at the abrupt change in topic. "What do you think happened?" Harry asked.  
  
Dumbledore looked away thoughtfully for a moment. "There are many theories, each more fantastic than the next and even more improbable than the last," he smiled "but I never believed a single one. There were even those that were convinced you were dead. My best guess would be some sort of travel, like apparation, that occurred because you were in danger." He shrugged.  
  
Harry nodded, "Well, your guess is closer to the truth than you know." Harry sat back, remembering. "I had a dream about the attack before it took place. They had killed my aunt, she was away with some women's gardening club and their hotel was attacked, that's how I knew they wouldn't have trouble getting in. I saw them burst through the door in my head before I woke up."  
  
Dumbledore picked up with what he knew. "You went into the kitchen to get your wand when they entered. Somehow one of the Death Eaters got a hold on your wand and then what?"  
  
"Then he cast the Killing Curse, but before it hit me there was a flash of silver light and I blacked out." Harry finished, looking at Sage.  
  
"That's when I found him." Sage began, "I was wandering around a town I was considering spending a couple of nights in. I remember seeing a bright flash of light, I had to cover my eyes, and a crack, like the sound lightening makes, and then he was laying unconscious at my feet."  
  
"I had somehow transported myself to a different reality, a place called the Realm of Keels. Its on a plane that exists just outside this one." Harry looked again at Sage.  
  
"I was on my way to the Hall of Bask, it's an institute that teaches magic, and when Harry was well he decided he wanted to join me and try to get in, which isn't easy mind you." Sage said, fingering his earring absently.  
  
"But getting in is nothing compared to getting out, that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Sage nodded in agreement to Harry's words. "That school wasn't like Hogwarts. It accepted students of any age, however…" he glanced at Sage and an silent sort of communication passed between them. "Well, there's a test, of sorts, you have to pass in order to be accepted as a student. It has nothing to do with the ability to do spells, most people don't know any magic at all before they get in, and if you don't pass, well, let's just say we passed.  
  
"It's very uncommon for two people who came to take the test together to make it. Our teachers kept a close eye on us, thinking that perhaps we had cheated our way through. I was the youngest student to ever pass the test, and Sage was the second youngest." Harry glanced at Sage who wasn't smiling at the memories of the Hall of Bask, "In total the school will accept maybe ten new students every two years and they generally have one graduate every four to five years." Harry seemed to shudder at some dark and uninviting memory. His eyes clouded over with an unnamed and unwelcome emotion.  
  
Sage cleared his throat uncomfortably and continued. "Harry and I were prodigies of the magical arts, they had never had students who learned as much as us as fast as we did and with as much power as we have. They kept trying to slow us down, let us get comfortable in that place." He paused and his eyes darkened, "If you get too comfortable in the Hall of Bask you don't leave… ever."  
  
Dumbledore furrowed his brows questioningly but neither man was looking at him. "We were in that place for five years before we got out. And even more miraculously is that we did it together." Harry said, smiling slightly.  
  
Kip smiled importantly, "You don't want to know what they had to go through to get those earrings."  
  
Sage laughed nervously while shooting a look at his apprentice. "People aren't supposed to know what we have to do to get these." Harry said, fingering the sword that hung from his right ear. "This a symbol that tells others that we are graduates of the Hall of Bask. Kip knows about our final task because he and his mother were kind of caught in the middle of it, that's how we met."  
  
Dumbledore nodded and looked thoughtfully out the window behind them a moment. Sage was sending Kip disapproving glances but the teenager didn't seem to notice his master's annoyance. Dumbledore seemed to arrive at something in his mind and looked up again. "Professor Snape described to me the magic you two used against him…"  
  
Harry nodded in understanding. "Most wizards in Keels don't use wands, in fact wands themselves are rare and very valuable, though very different from our wands. There isn't a core in these wands," as Harry spoke he removed the long black piece of wood from his side and held it in front of him "they don't need them, it's the wood itself that acts as the core would in ours. But these wands don't choose their masters like ours do, we choose them and then they're tuned to our magical signature. I am the only one that could ever use this wand because it was tuned to fit me perfectly." He paused, fingering the carved runes up the length of his wand. "Wand magic is special there and I had to take special courses in Bask to learn it. Sage doesn't use a wand at all."  
  
He replaced the long piece of wood and held up his hands, palms facing the headmaster. "The magic used in Keels is usually focused through the hands and is much more palatable than ours. There are some special spells that require incantations, but most of the time you just have to tell it to do something, and it will." Harry shrugged, "Pretty simple."  
  
Sage made a short snort like sound at Harry's last statement, or understatement, and Dumbledore smiled.  
  
Harry couldn't help but smile also. "It became clear to me early on that it was this kind of magic that would be able to bring me home. I told Sage everything about where I was from and what I was supposed to do there... here."  
  
"He means defeating Voldemort." Sage filled in, though he really didn't have to.  
  
"Right, so he decided that as my best friend and partner, as he commonly refers to himself as, he was going to come back with me and make sure I don't get myself killed." Harry continued, seemingly undaunted by Sage's looked of mock indigence. "I spent a solid year learning the spell we would need and he had to keep us both fed and clothed, which is how he ended up with an apprentice."  
  
Sage smiled broadly, "Kip's mother found my abilities so impressive that she was paying my and Harry's living expenses so that I could start Kip's training, and he decided that he wanted to come with us. Though he actually didn't believe Harry until we got here." Sage chuckled deeply and Kip turned a pleasant shade of light pink.  
  
Harry didn't smile though, and as he looked at Dumbledore the older man knew what Harry wanted to know. "A lot has happened since you left. Voldemort has taken over most of the wizarding world. He hasn't moved on to the muggle world yet, we think he wants to get rid of the resistance first." He looked away from Harry's piercing green eyes. His gaze momentarily hesitated on Harry's lightening bolt shaped scar. The marred flesh shined as both a beacon of hope and a premonition of doom. Dumbledore looked at the scar that Harry no longer tried to hide under his thick hair but seemed to bare proudly. He turned away and focused on the sky behind there heads, nearly dinnertime.  
  
"We get fewer students every year, Voldemort picks them off before they get to us. A lot of the muggle-borns are too afraid to come. Hermione Granger has been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts here for three years now." Dumbledore added that last part to see Harry's reaction. For a moment a spark of something flashed across Harry's vision, an emotion Dumbledore failed to place before it was hidden again.

  


For a moment no one spoke. Then Harry asked, "Why were Ron and Remus here?"

  


"Ah!" said Dumbledore after a moment. "Well, Remus has been living in the castle for a while now. Fudge, fearing that Voldemort would recruit werewolves to his side, offers a reward for the capture of any that are observed behaving violently. Which of course opens the opportunity for people to make up stories about werewolves behaving violently, and make money off of them. I asked Remus to move into the castle for his protection as well as my piece of mind. He also helps guard us against attackers and intruders." Dumbledore thought in silence for a moment, as though he couldn't figure out why Ron had been with them. "Oh, yes." he said, as though he suddenly remembered. "Today is Hagrid's birthday. That's why Ron's here, he was visiting."  
  
Harry nodded a few times, thinking. The silence that followed was long, but not oppressive. Harry stared, eyes clouded by some emotion or thought that seemed to separate him from the others. For a long time it seemed that he thought himself alone in the room. "When's dinner?" he asked abruptly.  
  
Sage seemed surprised by the question but didn't say anything. 

  


"In a few minutes... why?" Dumbledore replied.  
  
Harry nodded again, he ignored the question, coming to a decision. "Will you allow us to stay at the castle for a while?"  
  
Dumbledore laughed at the question. "I would insist on it."  
  
Harry smiled, though it seemed somewhat forced. "Would you announce to your students at dinner tonight that we're going to be here? I want to be able to wander the school during the day." Dumbledore nodded. "We'll eat dinner away from the rest of the school tonight, but we'll have breakfast with you tomorrow. You can tell the other's they can come see us if they want." Harry paused, thinking.  
  
"You don't want to utilize the element of surprise?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Harry smiled, "No, I want Voldemort to know I'm back, I want him to come after me, and I want him to underestimate me..."  
  
~*~*~  
  
At dinner a little later the Great Hall was buzzing with the pleasant chatter of students. Dumbledore sat in the center of the teacher's table and looked too his side, over Professor Flitwick's head. Hermione Granger seemed to be picking at her food, lost in a sea of thoughts, next to her Ron was eating furiously, and looked up excitedly every time the door opened. He had obviously decided to stay until he saw Harry again. Remus ate his food slowly and methodically, without thought, as his mind wandered.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat and stood. The room fell silent and all eyes shifted to him.  
  
"I have a brief announcement. We will have three guests staying in the castle for the time being and I would like all of you to be welcoming and polite to them. They are Harry Potter," the room was engulfed in such noise that Dumbledore had to raise his hand for silence. "Harry Potter and his friends Sage and Kip." With that said Dumbledore sat down and took a determined bite of his potatoes. Professor McGonagall looked up at him sharply, she opened her mouth to speak but Dumbledore's determined expression left no room, she said nothing.  
  
Dumbledore finished his dinner quickly, in desperate need of a place to sit quietly and think. As he stood he moved around the table and stopped in front of Ron, Hermione and Remus.  
  
"Harry said you are all more than welcome to come see him tonight. He doesn't want any of the students to see him until morning, he's had quite a trip." Dumbledore chuckled at this and then told the three where they could find Harry. He knew that they would go to see him as soon as they finished dinner.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry sat on the plush red leather chair by the fire. Dumbledore had given the three a room that seemed to greatly resembled the Gryffindor Common room and it brought back many memories for Harry. He stared blankly into the dancing flames until his eyes ached from the brightness. He rubbed them for a moment and then sat further back in the chair, looking up at the ceiling. He had removed his cape and underneath he had on tight fitting black jeans (Harry had been surprised and delighted to find that almost every male in Keels wore jeans) and a white long sleeve shirt with a black leather vest over it. He had removed his sword and it rested against the side of his chair.  
  
He lifted his right hand and run it through his hair. He stopped and look at his hand. He traced the thick scars that ran along his it with his eyes, remembering that final task to leave the Hall of Bask that had nearly cost him his hand and his life.  
  
Harry lifted his black booted feet into the chair and held his knees to his chest. He felt cold, even in front of the fire. It was so much warmer in the Realm of Keels. He considered getting the cape and wrapping himself in it but found that his muscles refused to work. It had, after all, been quite the long day.  
  
Sage entered the room from his bedroom and flopped into a chair next to Harry. He wore dark blue jeans, a white shirt and brown leather vest. His shoulder length brown hair was pulled into a dun at the base of his skull and was still wet from his shower. Harry saw him shiver and shift in his seat to be closer to the flames.  
  
"You're world's cold." He said simply, and rubbed his hands together. After a moment he stood and walked passed Harry, on his way by he picked up Harry's sword and the cape the other man had tossed over the back of another chair. He walked to the other side of the room where three doors stood and he opened the first of them, tossing the cape on the bed and placing the sword on a chair. He walked back out into the sitting room and noticed that Harry was watching him. "You don't want your friends to think you're a slob do you?"  
  
Harry chuckled at Sage and looked away. "I'm not a slob, you're just a neat freak."  
  
Sage shrugged and sat down again. "So have your feelings about her changed?"  
  
Sage looked sideways at Harry. He watched several emotions flicker across the younger man's eyes before he spoke. "Ask me again after I get a full nights sleep."  
  
"Fair enough." Sage said, relaxing. "So when do you think your friends will show up?"  
  
Harry let his knees drop from his chest and sat Indian style. He shrugged, "if it were me comeing to see one of them I'd already be there."

  


Both of them jumped when a loud knock sounded on the door. They looked at each other and laughed heartedly. Kip walked out of his room and looked at the two laughing adults and shook his head. He moved to the door and opened it to find Ron, Hermione and Remus eagerly waiting on the other side.  
  
"Can I help you?" he asked politely.  
  
The red head raised an eyebrow at the laughter he could hear coming from inside the room. "Is Harry in there?"  
  
Kip turned to the two on the plush chairs with their backs to them. "Harry it's your friends."  
  
The laughter just got louder and now all three were peaking their heads around the corner. After a few moments the laughter calmed and Harry looked around the corner of his chair. He wiped a tear from his eyes and began to stand.  
  
"Come right in guys. Thanks for answering Kip we were… incapacitated."  
  
Sage gave another snort of laughter from his chair and Harry turned for a moment away from them as he laughed too.  
  
"What's so funny?" Kip asked as he moved back to let Ron, Hermione and Remus to enter.  
  
Harry shook his head and raised his eyes to his old friends. Ron had grown much taller and was at least four inches above Harry, he was incredibly skinny, too skinny, if you asked Harry, and looked as though a strong wind would knock him over. Remus looked old, his hair was almost all gray and age lines where etched into his face. He smiled widely at Harry and looked to have tears in his eyes. And then there was Hermione. She was taller too, but still a few inches shorter than him. Her hair went only a little below her shoulders and was only slightly wavy, but most definitely tame. Her frame was petite, but sturdy, not breakable.  
  
Ron came forward first and gave Harry a bear hug. Harry could feel Ron try to lift him off the ground but he couldn't seem to do it. Ron stepped away, smiling brightly and slapped Harry heartily on the back.  
  
"Good to see you mate." Ron said. Harry smiled widely at him as Remus stepped forward and hugged him.  
  
A few tears fell from Remus' eyes and he brushed them away. "I missed you Harry."  
  
"And I missed you Moony." Harry said, holding back his own tears.  
  
And then there was Hermione. Harry embraced her tightly and marveled at her warmth and the way she seemed to fit perfectly against him. He heard her choke down a sob and hold him tighter. "I missed you so much Harry." She whispered, burying her face in his shoulder.  
  
"I missed you too Hermione." Was all Harry could say, closing his eyes tightly. "I missed you too."  
  
After a few more moments Harry and Hermione parted. They stood very close still, smiling at each other and Harry wiped a few tears from Hermione's cheek with the back of his hand. He heard Remus gasp and turned abruptly to him. Remus' hand shot out and took a hold of Harry's wrist. He was looking at his hand.  
  
"What happened to your hand?" he said examining the scars that marred the tanned flesh as Ron and Hermione looked on with similar expressions. Sage was standing behind him now and looked over Harry's shoulder to see what they were looking at.  
  
He snorted and muttered. "Damn hypocritical bastard teachers and there dumb tasks, trying to kill us all." He stepped away and conveniently found something else to look at.  
  
The other's eyes followed him and Harry laughed for a moment. "You don't know that they were bastards."  
  
Sage met Harry's dancing eyes and kept his expression completely serious. "Oh, I know Harry, I know."  
  
They both burst out laughing a moment later and Ron, Hermione and Remus didn't know whether they should laugh too or check to see if they had fevers.  
  
Harry recovered quickly and moved to introduce everyone. "Ron, Hermione, Remus this is Sage and his apprentice Kip." He looked back at Sage. "Sage, Kip, this is Ron, Hermione and Remus." Sage moved forward with a broad smile on his face and Kip followed.   
  
"Pleasure" he said shaking Ron's hand. As he moved on to Remus, Kip went to shake Ron's hand only to have Sage turn back and slap Kip's hand away.  
  
"What's that about?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry answered "Sage doesn't think Kip's worthy of shaking your hand. As Kip's master he has every right to slap Kip's hand away. It's kind of a tradition of apprenticeship. Every time Sage shakes someone's hand Kip will try. If he is slapped away, he knows where he stands in his training."  
  
"That was long winded." Sage said, smiling at Harry.   
  
Harry glanced at him and shrugged. Sage then proceeded to shake Remus' hand before moving to Hermione. He paused after shaking both hands so that he could slap Kip's hand away from both.  
  
Ron, Hermione and Remus watched Sage in curiosity. Harry shook his head, smiling. A violent shiver raked through Sage's body and he turned rigid. He turned to Harry, his expression indignant. "Why does your world have to be so cold?"  
  
Harry shrugged. He rubbed his hand against his arm to returned the circulation and warm him up. Looking at Sage shivering was making him colder.  
  
"Let's go back over to the fire." Harry said, before turning and striding purposefully toward the warmth the flames provided. He knew Sage and Kip had followed. Hermione giggled and when the three walked over they were all smiling.  
  
The six of them sat themselves down, there were four chairs and Kip and Harry sat on the floor. Harry had chosen the floor so that he could be closer to the fire, but Kip didn't have a choice.  
  
"So Harry," Remus began, looking at the 22 year old man he had known so long ago from the corner of his eye, "what is this other world Sage comes from that's so warm?"  
  
~*~*~  
  
Morning dawned gloomily with icy sheets of rain showering down upon Hogwarts. Harry looked out his window and smiled. He really wasn't happy about the weather, he was just happy to be back in his own world, where things weren't nearly as dangerous. He looked back toward the door to the bathroom and thanked Merlin for the existence of such luxuries.  
  
He dressed the same as he had the day before with black pants, a white shirt and a black leather vest. He hefted the heavy sword off the chair beside his large four-poster and put it on. He then placed both wands in his belt and walked out the door.  
  
Sage was already sitting by the fire waiting for him and Harry knew that Kip would be out at any moment. They had planned it so that they would be the first people in the great hall for breakfast.  
  
Kip joined them moments later and Harry led the way to the Great Hall.  
  
As they entered through the large doors Harry heard Sage gasp. It wasn't often that Sage was surprised or astonished enough to show it, but this was certainly one of the rare occasions. Even with the gloomy whether that troubled the ceiling above them the Great Hall was something else entirely and in all of Keels Harry had seen nothing like it. He glanced over his shoulder at his companions. Sage had controlled his features but was still staring around the room, taking everything in. Kip could do little to hide his awe. His eyes were wide and took in every inch of the sky-like ceiling, four long tables and one head table with clean, beautiful china and cutlery. Harry entered the room, smiling in satisfaction as he looked at the empty room.  
  
As he reached the head table he noticed three pieces of parchment on the right of the table. They were each at a different place setting and each bore a name. On the left was Harry's name, next to him was Sage and finally Kip. Harry sat at the place put aside for him. Sage looked at the strange writing on the parchment and didn't move. Harry laughed and pointed.  
  
"It says your name." He said, laughing quietly.  
  
Sage nodded and sat, slapping Harry lightly on the shoulder. Kip joined them moments later, saying nothing and still staring.  
  
As the first students entered the hall, four sixth years who sat together at the Ravenclaw table, food appeared in front of them. Harry ate slowly, prolonging the experience of eating breakfast in the Great Hall again. Sage watched him eat curiously and took only what Harry took. He examined each food item carefully, sniffed it and then tasted a small amount with his tongue. Watching him Harry made a mental note to get some Ton Tongue Toffees from Fred and George Weasley.  
  
A few more students entered, they noticing the strangely dressed adults at the head table and watched Harry carefully. They began to whisper excitedly and Harry sighed, he had not missed that.  
  
The first teacher to enter came in when there were about twenty or so students. It was Professor Flitwick, the charms professors.  
  
"Hello Mr. Potter!" Professor Flitwick said excitedly approaching Harry, he grasped Harry's hand and shook it fervently.  
  
"It's good to see you again professor." Harry said, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at the small teacher.  
  
The students started arriving in more abundance after that, and the hall began to fill with whispers. Several more teachers had arrived and were sitting at the head tables. McGonagall had pulled Harry from his seat and hugged him when she had entered, Hagrid had done the same and was sniffling quietly in the corner. Professor Snape had yet to arrive, and Harry thought for a moment that he might not. Hermione was the first of his friends to arrive and she sat, smiling, beside him. Harry was instantly relieved when she hadn't arrived with Ron, it was a good sign. He knew she wasn't married, she didn't have a ring, but he was still apprehensive about the idea of her not being single.  
  
"Morning." He said from between bites of jam-covered toast.  
  
"Good morning Harry." She replied, smiling brightly. She looked sideways at him a long moment. "What happened to your glasses?"  
  
Harry swallowed before answering. "One of my teachers at the Hall of Bask repaired my eyes. In return I had to get him three dragon eggs, not an easy task I assure you."  
  
Sage chuckled on his other side. He seemed to suddenly remember the question he had asked Harry the night before and turned all the way toward him. "So, you've had a full nights sleep and even some food, do you have an answer?"  
  
It took Harry a few long moments to remember that Sage was asking about his feelings for Hermione and he blushed lightly, trying not to look at either of them. He took another bite of his food and chewed slowly. "Yes, they've changed. They're much stronger now."  
  
Sage smiled and Hermione furrowed her brow. Just as she was about to ask Ron and Remus entered, having met up in the hall, and joined them at the table. Hermione seemed less bold with them around.  
  
When Neville entered he nearly tripped over himself when he saw Harry. He was tall and muscular and had the appearance of one who spent a lot of time outdoors with hair bleached by the sun and dark tanned skin. He pulled Harry into a hearty hug. Apparently Neville had replaced Professor Sprout as the Herbology Professor.  
  
After all the teachers and students arrived the owls began to descend from above them. Kip gasped at all the owls carrying post. Harry felt tears in his eyes when he saw Hedwig flying toward him carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet. She landed in front of him and Harry pulled the snowy owl to his chest and embraced her lightly. She hooted softly and nipped his fingers affectionately, she was a little ruffled from years of being a Hogwarts owl but was other than that unchanged. He released her and she flew away, Sage and Hermione were looking at him with strange expressions. Ron, on Hermione's other side, was too occupied with a letter of his own to notice.  
  
Harry unrolled the paper and smiled as he saw a picture of a 14 year old him on the front page. The headline read, "Has the Boy-Who-Lived Returned from the Dead?" Sage looked over his shoulder and laughed.  
  
"You were so cute…" he said, talking as he would to a baby. Hermione giggled and Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, are you going to read it?" Hermione asked when Harry didn't say anything. She then snatched the paper from his hands and began… "The Daily Prophet has received word from several Hogwarts students that Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, has returned and is presently at Hogwarts with two friends. Though suspicion is high that this could be a hoax the Daily Prophet would like to assure its readers that we will be looking into the matter personally and hope to reveal the truth in the next issue.  
  
"You will remember that Harry Potter disappeared during a Death Eater attack on his residence over seven years ago. It was highly rumored that the youth had been killed by the Death Eaters." Hermione stopped and scoffed. "It just goes on about you facing Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic and about his return after the Triwizards Tournament. You'd think they could come up with something more conclusive than that."  
  
Harry nodded, "I'll have to make an appearance, I want to dispel that whole, could be a hoax, thing." Sage nodded and Hermione looked sideways at Harry again. He knew what she was thinking, he had always hated the publicity, but it had its uses.  
  
Harry glanced at Ron, still wrapped by his letter. "Who's the letter from, Ron?"  
  
Ron didn't look up from his reading, nor did he give any indication of hearing. Hermione glanced over his shoulder then turned back to Harry. "It's from his wife."  
  
Harry looked at her, wide eyed. "Ron's married?"  


  
  
  
  
  
  


(A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Please Review!

  


Thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter One!

  


Irish Rover - There is a reason Draco was at Hogwarts, but that isn't to be revealed just yet (Mwahahahahaaaaaaaa). Hermione is a professor, sorry to be cliche. The others are not and I hope my reasons for their appearance is satisfactory. And I did take your security guard idea a little for Remmy, though it's not his official title it's kind of the service he provides in exchange for protection from fanatical werewolf hunters. (Wow, I'm long winded aren't I.)

  


BloodRedSword - A very interesting name, truly. Yes, there is a dash of romance! I hope you enjoy!

  


Magicman2 - Thank you for the compliment and I hope you continue to enjoy!

  


Sadly Noone - Thank you for the compliment (I think... j/k). 

  


A.M.bookworm247 - An explanation there is (wow that was a Yoda moment), though this is just the basics, I hope to get more in depth with a few details about their adventures and powers. I was considering doing a flashback of some kind for a chapter but I have not decided what part of their trip in Keels it should be or where it should be placed. I'm thinking about it though, thank you for the suggestion.

  


Indiangurl - Thank you for your support. I love it when people write "OMG" it reminds me of a friend I used to know that talked so fast it seemed like she was saying "Ohmgad"if you could even make out that much. Thanks for the review!

  


Piukka - I'm glad you love your confusion! But I did explain a lot of it. I'm going to space it out a little (with explanations) I don't want to overwhelm anyone. Thanks for the review!

  


Persephone - Thank you for the compliments and especially the suggestions. I actually wrote chapter two before I read you review but I am going to try to add character thoughts into my next chapter. I don't have a beta, but I don't really know what a beta actually does.

  


Kira6 - The wait is over! Thanks for reviewing!

  


Moonluck - Thank you for the compliment, here you are, I continued!

  


Angelwings6117 - I'm happy that you are "gak"ing over my story. I'm sorry you aren't into the whole Hermione thing, I do focus on it some of the time, but just wait Voldie will show up soon and Harry will have plenty to distract him.

  


Xangel-luvx - I think I answered the Ron, Hermione thing. Yes the killing curse has a green flash, that wasn't the killing curse. The death eater was about to cast it when the other (silver) spell took effect. I'm not sure about flow powder though and I'm too lazy to look it up, sorry if I'm wrong though, I don't want to misrepresent. Thanks for reviewing!

  


Tropic - Thank you for the compliment! and thank you for the review!

  


Katameran - What's the most common human condition in the world, fear, or laziness? I just had to ask, for some reason it popped into my head when I read (it should be signed, but I'm highly lazy.) It's from a movie. Sorry, I'll quit with my tangent. I'm glad you are liking this! I'm sorry for typos and bad grammar, you'll have to excuse me on those.

  


Wildkat - Thank you very much for your kind words! I don't know if it's brilliant, but thank you just the same!

  


Sapphire Lotus - Thank you for reviewing!

  


Linky2 - "bump write more", what's the bump mean? But anyway, I have and thank you for reviewing!

  


Greyhound Master - Do you own any greyhounds? Thank you for reviewing and complimenting my story!!!

  


Beast1303 - Thank you for reviewing and making me laugh. Yeah, Snape is a punk.

  


Arctic Wolf2 - Thanks for reviewing!

  


Kyra (with the absence of the 2 she does not like) - Thank you for all your wonderful comments. I'm glad you are enjoying this. No, they aren't mad, I think they're just happy to have him back. Besides, it wasn't his choice to leave, it just kind of happened. Ron, Herm and Rem will forgive him. Thank you again!

  


Kylena - I'm afraid to learn what lesson two is. lol 

  


gallandro-83 - ::Looks are feet and rings hands in a nervous fasion:: I'm sorry... Thank you for the compliment. I do intend on finishing this and I hope to be able to retrieve the lost chapters to my other stories (we lost our old computer to a virus, it's being fixed). I don't have a beta, I don't really understand what they do and I have never heard of a "soundboard" before, what is that?

  


Nyoko - Who needs French anyway! Thank you for the compliments and if your teachers ask why you're slacking off just tell them it's my fault! I'll straighten them out! (Or run for cover, but don't tell anyone!)

  


Szihuoko - I went back to read the summary and I could see how you could get that impression. Thank you for reviewing! Yeah, I though a good seven years would be enough time to change.

  


Few! That's everyone I think! Sorry if I missed you! I don't know how I could but I have my blonde moments. Thank you all for reviewing. Review again!!!)


	4. Chapter Three: Suspicions

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters. I do own Sage, Kip, and Keels so :P.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, please review again. And May thanks to my beta Persephone!!!

New Moon  
  
Chapter Three: Suspicions  
  
A short while later found Harry walking to Dumbledore's office in troubled silence. His cheerful demeanor had dropped, and he was allowing his mind to circulate with the new information he had attained over breakfast:  
  
Ron was married to a witch from Ireland who was a member of the Order Of The Phoenix.  
  
_At least the Weasley tradition of redheaded children will be maintained._ He snorted with a short quick laugh that held very little humor. In fact he found no humor in this subject, thinking back on Hermione's expression, and Ron's uncaring.   
  
_But really, who is this Katherine women?_ Harry shook his head as he walked, closing his eyes and furrowing his brow. For some reason the subject had made Hermione uneasy. Did she and Ron have a thing? Or was there something off between this Katherine and Hermione? Ron was not helping much. He had ignored everyone over breakfast in favor of that letter. It was like she had him wrapped around her finger in a way that felt ... dark.  
  
Harry shook his head again and looked out ahead of him. He was standing before the gargoyle, but suddenly he desired no conference with the Headmaster. _Do I desire solitude because of these troubling thoughts?_  
  
At that moment there was a soft touch on his shoulder. Turning he saw Sage, who it seemed, had followed him out of the Great Hall. Keen blue eyes looked unblinkingly into green ones.  
  
"What was that all about? You know, you scared everyone when you suddenly stood and left with no explanation." Though it would have seemed to others that Sage's tone was accusing and reproachful, Harry perceived that it was more worry than anything else.  
  
_I don't know what it was, Sage_. Harry sighed and leaned back against the stone wall at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. Sage stood silently, watching.  
  
"Something troubles me." Harry said quietly, his tone betraying nothing. It was cool, crisp, and efficient, as though in his own mind this trouble had been pinpointed, named and cataloged. It was not so, however.  
  
Sage saw, with his clear eyes, right through Harry's tone. He glanced behind him at Kip who stood a little further off. The boy was trying not to intrude and looked away, though they both knew he was listening with avid attention.  
  
Sage raised his hand again to Harry's shoulder and squeezed gently and reassuringly. "Let's go to Dumbledore's office, you can ask him to set up a meeting for you with a reporter for later today." Sage paused for a long moment, and his eyes shifted back to Kip. "Then you and I will talk." In a slightly louder voice he proclaimed, "Neh eon sel i gelnisti!" and smiled brightly.  
  
_When no one else is listening?_ Harry looked over Sage's shoulder at Kip. The teen seemed put out by the fact that he could not understand what Sage had just said. Harry allotted himself a quick chuckle. Sage and he had made up that language in Keels; it was useful for private conversations, for they were obviously the only one's who spoke it. They called it 'Shile Tongue,' for that name seemed to amuse them both greatly.  
  
After a moment Harry nodded, smiling in gratitude at his friend of so long. Sage could read Harry's emotions as though he laid them bared at his feet. But with Sage, Harry didn't mind much. And so the three of them turned to the gargoyle...  
  
~*~*~  
  
For some reason Harry welcomed the cold rain. He lowered his hood and closed his eyes, reveling in its cool and gentle caress. Sage stood beside him, cape drawn up around his entire body. He hugged it close to himself and looked at Harry with a strange sort of expression.  
  
They walked in silence along the grounds until at last they entered the forest. Harry had no fear of the Dark Forest any longer, the forests on Keels were far more treacherous and they had made it out of every sort of situation alive and relatively unscathed. They didn't go far in, and stopped in a small glade where the ground was relatively dry and the trees overhead blocked out the rain and wind.  
  
There they sat and stretched there legs into the center of the glade, looking up at the thick leaves above there heads, some nearly purple with Autumn's touch.  
  
Sage looked away from the leaf canopy and stared at his friend. Though Harry looked to be calmly enjoying the forest, the tightness of his jaw revealed his true emotions. Sage waited for Harry to speak, knowing that he would in his own time.  
  
"Something's wrong." Harry began, still looking above him. "I sense some strange apprehension, like something big has happened while I was gone, something very big, but no one dares to tell me."  
  
Sage nodded even though Harry wasn't looking. "Are you talking on a grand scale or something more personal?"  
  
Harry looked down and met Sage's gaze. "I think it's personal..." he faded off, looking at the ground below him and picking up a small twig which he then proceeded to snap into several pieces. "but something inside me screams for attention to be paid." He paused again, and looked up.   
  
"Something's off with Ron. I'll try not to assume too much about his wife but, it's like he's deteriorating." Harry looked back at the broken twig in his hands, and continued. "He's skinny, too skinny, and there isn't any muscle left. When I first noticed his thinness I attributed it to the way of life of wizards here. They don't need to be in peak physical condition like we do. But thinking more clearly it strikes me as more than disheartening. Ron's a member of the Order of the Phoenix, he should be in top physical condition.  
  
"Did you notice how early he left last night? He wasn't tired, it was like he had something he needed to do, but he couldn't, or wouldn't tell us. And this morning. Ron was never a morning person, but it was like he was on autopilot. It reminds me in a strange, sort of foreboding way, of the Imperious Curse, but if he were under it we would have sensed it." He sighed loudly and shifted uncomfortably with the invisible weight he carried.  
  
Sage sat in silence. He had noticed, but he was to unfamiliar with this place, with these people and there customs to come to any sort of conclusion. He remembered Lorna and thought of the Hall of Bask, but dared not make such a parallel.   
  
After a while, Harry spoke again. "Maybe I'm just making shadows into monsters. I know I'm not in Bask anymore, and maybe it's paranoia, but it just feels wrong." He looked away, his lower eyelids filled with suppressed tears. "Maybe I just wanted it to be great, like it was when..." He didn't finished, and as he sat there he let the tears fall down his cheeks, making thin trails of salty wetness on his clean features. "Maybe I was just dreaming."  
  
"Harry, I don't know a lot about this world, or these people, but it feels wrong to me too. Kip hasn't noticed, but he's to innocent, I don't think he's capable of noticing. He hasn't been burned... he hasn't been broken." He took a moment to control his own tumult of abrasive emotions. "I think Hermione feels it, but not as acutely as we do. It's the whole frog in boiling water thing Patty loved to quote."  
  
Harry smiled in a distracted manner as he repeated obediently, "If you put a frog in boiling water it'll jump out, but if you put it in cold water and slowly heat it the frog will sit there and boil to death." Harry laughed a little. "Patty certainly had a way with words."  
  
"He was always like that, no matter what he was talking about it always seemed he meant to boil frogs." Sage said, smiling slightly.  
  
Harry sighed heavily again. "I think I need to go talk to someone."  
  
Sage smiled knowingly. "Hermione."  
  
"No," Harry said quietly, Sage raised an eyebrow. "I need to talk to Professor Snape." Sage stuttered for a moment as Harry stood and began to walk away. He stood hastily and followed.  
  
"Wait, but he's the creepy guy that attacked you!" Sage yelled as he approached. At Harry's nod he tripped and nearly fell. After regaining his composure, or at least his footing, he caught up and walked at Harry's shoulder, watching the younger man from the corner of his eye. "I think perhaps I should come with you."  
  
Harry seemed amused by the offer. "Yeah, so that he can get you back for attacking him. Don't worry, I can handle Professor Snape."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry smiled as he stood outside the door to the potions classroom. He knocked on the door and entered after hearing a gruff response. Snape had what Dumbledore had called "department time," and was seated at his desk brooding over some parchment. As Harry entered Snape glanced up and seemed to start with surprise, though his expression hid it. Harry smiled politely.  
  
"May I have a few moments of your time Professor?" Snape seemed taken aback by Harry's address and nodded stiffly.  
  
Harry moved further into the room, and he sat on one of the desks in the front row. He pulled his large sword awkwardly onto the desk so that it wouldn't pull at his belt as he sat. He met his former Professor's gaze, the man's curiosity seemed to cover any anger or hatred that formerly existed. Harry barely felt any of it now, it had been too long, and he had had professors that made Snape seem pleasant and supportive.  
  
Harry looked pointedly and fixedly into the beady eyes of the potions master. Snape raised an eyebrow but Harry continued to stare, making no clear effort to explain himself. Snape smiled in a strange sort of amusement.  
  
"So, why do you want me, of all people, to tell you what you've missed?"  
  
Harry smiled at Snape's response to his silent question. "Because Ron and Hermione never gave you enough credit. Neither did I, all those years ago..." he paused a long moment. "Dumbledore's too polite, he's too forgiving. I need a truly objective view."  
  
Snape seemed amused and surprised at the compliment. He nodded his ascent and sat back in his chair a little.  
  
"Everything changed with your disappearance. They hide it well, but it tore Weasley and Granger apart. I don't think they would've ever been friends, had you not been there to keep them together. On the outside they seemed unchanged, relationship wise, but Weasley didn't want to spend time with Granger anymore.  
  
"When he met Katherine on a job for Dumbledore, he was smitten. I'd worked with her once before, and though she comes off as polite and understanding, she's quite the demanding person. She demanded, subtly, Weasley's time and attention. When they first met, Granger got a bad feeling about Ms. O'Neill. She told Ron. Something about the women had Granger on edge. Weasley, it seems, got in a bit of a huff about the whole affair. They didn't talk for a while afterward." Snape paused and looked at the parchment on his desk.   
  
"About a month before the wedding, which came along very fast, I might add, Granger met up with the two of them and made peace. It's still stretched though, they don't get on like they did before. They put on quite a face though, meeting for birthdays and holidays. I think Katherine allows it because she pities Hermione."  
  
Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why would anyone pity Hermione?"  
  
Snape looked up curiously at the young man who sat on the desk before him. "Sometimes I forget how smart you are, Potter ... times like these when you're a complete idiot." Harry smiled at both the compliment and the insult. "She's hopelessly fallen for you... she has been for years, never letting anyone else get close. Save perhaps Mr. Lupin who was also upset about your disappearance, but that's not romantic. And for that, Katherine considers her a pity case."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry walked slowly from the dungeons toward Dumbledore's office where he knew a reporter awaited him. He would have preferred to take off into the forest, and think for a few days before returning. But that would not be possible here.  
  
Harry approached the gargoyle and controlled his features. He pushed his present thoughts to the very back of him mind, keeping his plan at the forefront. He gave the password quickly and ascended the stairs at an energetic pace.  
  
After an abrupt knock, Harry entered. Dumbledore smiled at him from behind his desk and the Daily Prophet reporter stood. Her robes where an annoying shade of pink somewhere between florescent and gray, with gold embroidery along the hems. An orange bag sat next to her chair and she smiled, her overly straight teeth nearly making Harry grimace.   
  
She extended her hand. "Marietta Lonwal." she said in a high and false voice. Harry smiled forcefully and sat in the chair beside hers.   
  
She took out a quill and parchment and set them on her knee, then she removed a nice looking camera from her bag.  
  
"A quick photo Mr. Potter?" she asked with fake admiration.  
  
Harry nodded and smiled politely again as she snapped a few shots. She then replaced the camera and sat with her quill poised over the paper.  
  
"So, Mr. Potter, where have you been?"  
  
"Away." Harry replied, nearly smiling at her sudden look of annoyance.   
  
"And what were you doing while you were away?"  
  
Harry shrugged, but didn't speak.  
  
She seemed to be getting angry. "Well, Mr. Potter is there anything you would like to say?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said, allowing himself a small smile. "I would like to tell Voldemort that I'm back, and waiting for him at Hogwarts."  
  
The reported blanched. She had written what he said down word for word as he had spoken. She looked down at the name written on her parchment in horror. "Do you mind if we put he-who-must-not-"  
  
"Yes," Harry interrupted, "I mind. A wise person once told me that fear of the name only promotes fear of the thing. You can tell your readers that too."  
  
He heard her scribble quickly on her parchment as he stood. His sword made a loud bang as it struck the wooden leg of the chair he had exited, and he left the room without so much as a nod good-bye.  
  
~*~*~  
  
He found Sage outside sitting on the wet grass. The older man was watching his apprentice run laps around the lake and avoid the reaching tentacles of the giant squid. Kip, it seemed, had decided to call the creature Ted, for no apparent reason than to speak to it as he passed, as though they were long time friends. The rain still fell, but not as heavily. Harry sat beside Sage and watched with half-seeing eyes the young man running around the lake.  
  
"Did you learn anything of interest?" Sage asked after a long moment.  
  
"Yes, a few things."  
  
Kip was nearly upon them now and looked longingly at his master. He was hoping, it seemed, that Sage would tell him he was done. But Sage just smiled and motioned for him to continue.  
  
"Like what for example?" Sage asked, looking over at Harry for the first time. After a moment Harry relayed the tale. He excluded nothing, including Hermione's supposed feelings toward him.  
  
"Well, what do you think about it?" Sage asked when Harry had lapsed into silence. Kip had made several more laps and before Harry answered, Sage's attention was diverted to the panting youth. "Do some stretches so you don't cramp up, then rest a bit." Kip nodded heavily and did as told without complaint. Sage turned back to Harry.  
  
"I guess I was right about Ron, and I still feel something strange about his wife. Even more so now than before." Harry replied, very aware of the young man stretching not three yards away.  
  
"That's all well and good." Sage replied in a low, even voice. "But what about Hermione?"   
  
Harry didn't respond for a long time and Sage watched him intently. _What about what Snape said about Hermione? He wouldn't lie about that, I'm surprised he even told me. He must have thought it was obvious. I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but maybe he misread her emotions concerning me._ He sighed aloud. "I don't know."  
  
Sage smiled and then frowned, a sadness etched into his otherwise emotionless face. _You know Harry, and you don't have to be afraid. Tell her before it's too late. Tell her before you two end up like Lorna and me._ He quickly shook the thought from his head and looked away.   
  
Harry had seen the look, however. "You're thinking about her again, huh?"  
  
It wasn't really a question, not really, because Harry already knew the answer. Sage looked back at Harry and smiled weakly. He shifted toward Harry and pulled his best friend, more like a brother, into a hug. "Don't end up like us, Harry. Please don't." Harry nodded and Sage sat back again. Kip looked over at them curiously, he hadn't heard anything, and that made him even more curious.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was just about lunch time. Hermione brushed her brown hair out of her eyes as she left her classroom, following her eager students. Her classes today had been dull. She had been so preoccupied with Harry's sudden and alarming behavior over breakfast that she could not concentrate and her poor students had suffered.  
  
She turned around a corner and found herself in an empty hallway. She wondered if she should tell Harry more about Kara Weasley, about her suspicion, her fears. She looked out the window to her right. She stopped and stared.  
  
Harry was walking up toward the castle with Sage at his side and Kip lagging along behind looking quite worn out. Sage and Harry looked deep in troubling thoughts as they walked in silence.  
  
Hermione touched her lips with her fingers as she watched them. Harry's cape was thrown back over his shoulders and his muggle-like clothing was clinging to his lean form underneath. Hermione blushed deeply and looked away, she blinked several times but could summon no image other than his to replace her thoughts.  
  
Quickly she moved down the corridor toward the door, hoping to beat them there. But she didn't need to worry, for they were still a little ways off when she opened the door to greet them. Kip was the only one who seemed to notice her as the older two were still so lost in thought. He smiled politely through his apparent exhaustion and inclined his head. Hermione smiled at him but could not help as her eyes roamed and fell back on Harry.  
  
As though he could feel her eyes on him he suddenly looked up. She gasped as he smiled brightly her, a startling contrast to his former troubled expression and made his way up the stairs toward her. Sage's expression was now similar, it was as it had been before, bright and welcoming.  
  
"Just about lunch time?" Harry asked as he stopped to stand before her. She smiled and nodded, but for some reason found her throat to constricted to speak. She moved out of the doorway and the three of them entered. They walked in silence toward there living quarters to change and ready themselves for lunch in the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione stood by the fire as the other's went there separate ways. Harry's bedroom door was ajar and it was all Hermione could do not to turn and peak. Though even the thought of peaking made her blush again. She decided she'd distract herself by talking to him.

  


"What happened at breakfast? You left so suddenly I was worried." She called over her shoulder without daring to turn.   
  
Harry exited his room behind her and she turned. He was wearing different pants, dark brown and dry, they weren't as form fitting as his black jeans, to Hermione's dismay. She blushed deeply, both at the thought and at the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His muscular chest was bare and tan. He didn't see her blush though, as he was busy drying his hair with a towel.  
  
"I had some things I needed to discuss with Dumbledore." he stopped as though considering whether or not he should say more. "And I needed to think."  
  
She arced an eyebrow at his words and focused on his face. Now free of the towel and looking closely at her. "About what?"  
  
"Many things," he replied evasively and sat in one of the plush chairs. She looked down at him and searched his features. He stared back unblinkingly, then stood. He moved toward her and stopped very close to her. Hermione felt the heat rise into her chest at his closeness. He didn't flinch away from her searching eyes. "I have a lot to talk to you about Ron and his wife..." Hermione's throat caught at his words and she looked even more intently at him. "and about you."  
  
She furrowed her brow. "What about me?"  
  
In answer Harry moved his right hand up to her face and stroked her cheek gently. His calloused fingers tingled with the soft touch and he took a very conscious step forward. He used his hand to softly lift her chin and took her hand in his other. He brought his face slowly down to hers and closed his eyes. As their lips brushed against each other he shivered involuntarily at the electrical shock that swept through him. Hermione's reaction was immediate and her free hand traveled up his chest to rest at his neck. She pulled him closer to her...  
  
They broke apart suddenly as Kip opened his door with a loud bang and entered. He seemed oblivious to the moment he had shattered and walked halfway into the room before noticing either of them.  
  
"Harry you're only half dressed. Come on I'm hungry." Kip said, smiling up at the older man when he did finally notice them. Harry nodded silently and blushed slightly when he glanced at Hermione before going back into his room. This time shutting the door behind him.  
  
Hermione stood stock still and stared at the space he had exited as her mind and body reeled as though having just come off some intense muggle roller coaster. She looked up when Sage entered the room. He looked questioningly at her flushed features and smiled. _Way to go Harry._

  
  
  
  


((I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for the reviews! Sorry I didn't reply to everyone individually. I'M SORRY I'M LAZY! DON'T HATE ME FOR IT!

  


dmmason03, kateydidnt, ksmcan (he planted one just for you!), Geminidragon, Nyoko (thank you, as always, for the wonderful review. Yeah, Harry's cool.), A.M.bookworm247 (I'm thinking about a prequel, but if I do one it won't be until this is finished. I'm not the best at multi-tasking), Star Mage1, Kira6, Tropic, Kylena (there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little sugar!), Angel Star194 (I'm glad you enjoyed it so much!), lordanhur, Maxx77, angelwings6117 (please don't hurt me!!!), Anonymous9 (I don't know what to say, thank you), Kyra2 (Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of "I want to die" Harry. Just one of those things. Sage and Kip are original characters. Snape didn't want to come to breakfast, his pride was hurt.), Greyhound Master, Sapphire Lotus, TaioraCrazedGirl, RoxySurf (is RoxySurf your pen name?), Lightening Rain (I'm considering writing a prequel, but most of the Keels stuff is supposed to be mysterious, but you'll learn more as the story progresses. He might tell Hermione, I haven't decided.), Fiona Opal (Fiona's a good name), gallandro-83 (I hope you got my e-mail. Thank you for reviewing again!)

  


Also note that I will be on the other side of the country for a little over a week, starting Thursday, the 9th of October, so chapter four may be a bit delayed (I will not have a computer in California.)

  


ALSO!!! My beta, Persephone, has a wonderful story posted! And you should ALL read it! Her Pen Name is Crying Willow, and the story is _The Sky is Quickly Changing_. I recommend it!))


	5. Chapter Four: Old Happenings

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, don't hurt me.

  


Author's Note: I'm sorry if this took a while. After I got back from my vacation in California I had some major writer's black. You can all thank Persephone, my Beta, for helping me through it and I hope you enjoy this. Please review! And have a lovely day.

New Moon  
  
Chapter Four: Old Happenings  
  
Looking out a small square window in the front of her house as she washed a few dishes, the old women raised her upper lip in a disapproving manner at the young man who was walking into Sasho, leading an unruly looking animal behind him. The boy himself looked as though he   
had not bathed in several days, maybe longer, and the journey through the Cemille Forest had left him covered in caked mud and dried cracking streams of dark red blood. His hair, color indiscernible, was caked with dark mud and had matted into long corded tresses that hung down his back. He walked slumped over, as though a heavy burden or weariness was upon him, and his blue eyes were dull and lifeless. His cloths were torn, tattered, and scarce. He wore only a pair of discolored jean shorts and a pair of oversized rawhide boots that were coming apart at the poorly made seems.  
  
He didn't glance in her direction as he continued past her home into town. The streets were bare and mostly deserted. Several other watchful eyes followed him as they hid, sheltered from the harsh mid-day sun. For though the air was moist and the River Koalb flowed clear and clean just   
outside the town's southern border, the sun was still treacherously hot and dehydration or heat stroke were constant threats.  
  
The boy made his way into the heart of the town and his animal, a healthy, dirty looking tai, indigenous to the northern regions just beyond Mount Toha, made an unamused grunt as they walked past the drinking fountain without turning. Startled at the sound, the boy looked at the dingy water before leading the thirsty animal over. He let it's head drop to the fountain as it began to drink and he gently stroked its scaled neck. He turned, across from the fountain was a building called The Junga Inn. What a Junga was the seventeen year old could have cared less, but he had been looking for the inn. He turned to the tai and thanked it; he would have missed the building if not for the animal's thirst. He left his tai at the fountain, giving it a final pat, before moving toward the entrance of the inn.  
  
There wasn't a reception area; you simply entered into what looked like a pub. The man behind the bar was wiping several brass mugs with a dirty rag, and he looked up when the boy entered.  
  
"What ya want, kid?" he asked, voice gruff and hard.  
  
The boy's dull eyes seemed to shrink back at the address, and he found himself looking away from the sharp dark eyes of the man.  
  
"Got a room?" he asked quietly, his voice was soft and gentle and not above a whisper.  
  
"You got money, kid?" The bartender replied, putting down the mug and leaning over the bar to stare at the boy who stood not three feet from the door he had entered through.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The bartender nodded, and looked away a moment. The boy's eyes shot up and watched the man's every move as though afraid of a sudden and unexpected attack. The man turned back, a silver key in his large, dirty, hand.  
  
"Four and a half a night." he said, watching as the boy's gaze darted away from his. "An I want you to keep her clean." He glanced out the half open window at the tai that was drinking from the fountain. "An extra one and a quarter for the beast to stay in the stables."  
  
The boy nodded and the man tossed the key at him. It hit the ground at the boy's feet with a clank. He scrabbled to pick it up and shoved it into his pocket.  
  
"You got a name boy?" the man asked as the boy turned to leave.  
  
"Sage." said the boy quietly as he walked out the door into the bright sunlight. He briefly heard a grunt emit from the man before the door closed behind him.  
  
He began to walk around the building, looking for a barn or stable. He found it around the right side made of shabbier wood than the rest of the building. He whistled between his front teeth and the tai trotted up behind him and huffed as he saw the building.  
  
"Sorry Ran, this is as good as this town has. It'll only be this way for a day or so. Can't really afford it." Sage ran his hand over the hard scales on Ran's cheek and led the way inside.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Sage left the shabby stable, moved into the street again, and headed in the opposite direction, away from where he had entered the town. At the southern border or Sasho, a line of trees stood, clean cut and sweet smelling. Not far beyond Sage could hear the rumble that was the River   
Koalb as it bent it's course from south to west and ran along the base of the town. He moved through the trees silently, his ears intent upon any sound.  
  
He came through the trees and found himself right on the edge of the greatest river in all of the Realm of Keels. Its dark waters were always cold, fed from high northern glaciers beyond the northernmost point of Mount Toha, and the current was swift, but unbroken by stone and   
therefore smooth. He slipped down the small embankment and stood on tiptoe in the small space between the embankment and the dark waters. He pushed his bare back against the stones behind him and made no sound as one bit through the tender skin of his lower back. He gently lowered   
himself onto his haunches, still pressed against the rocks, and lowered his hands to the water.  
  
He pulled his hands back sharply from the cold before attempting to submerge them again. He let the cold water numb them and rubbed them together in an attempt to rid them of the dried and caked blood that covered them. He lowered his head, keeping a delicate balance on his   
toes and scooped some water into his mouth with his hands. A few long tresses of hair fell over his shoulders and into the water, pulled slightly downstream by its current. When he pulled his head back up the end of those coils of hair looked dark, nearly black, but clean.  
  
Sage looked at the sun above him and sighed quietly. Pushing himself up he sat on the edge of the embankment above the water and looked out over it. The caked mud on his back protected him from sunburn but soon the heat was too much for him and he stood and retreated from the open bank into the woods toward town. The hair that had fallen into the river was now dry and a much lighter shade of clean light brown. He pushed it back over his shoulder as he found a shady spot near the base of a tree to nestle down in for a while.  
  
He lay sideways and rested his head on the smooth bark of the tree's roots, slowly closing his eyes.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Sage opened his eyes and blinked against the darkness. He wondered momentarily how long he had slept before standing and stretching his aching back and neck. He turned toward the distant, glittering lamplight of Sasho and headed back toward the inn.  
  
As the trees began to thin and the lights grow nearer Sage stopped. He felt, for a moment, like the air around him was heavy, tangible, like water, and he dared not move. He stared ahead, dull blue eyes brightening with fear. A bright flash of silver light blinded him suddenly. He pushed his hand up against the heaviness of the air to cover his eyes. The light winked out of existence a moment later and he blinked again several times before moving his hand back to his side.  
  
It was that motion that made him realize the thickness in the air was gone. He looked around, and jumped slightly at the figure that now lay unconscious at his feet.  
  
He knelt down and observed the person, not daring to touch them. It was a boy, about his age, maybe a year younger. He had a mop of unruly black hair on the top of his head, blacker than any hair Sage had ever seen on a human. He was laying on his stomach and his breathing was ragged from exhaustion, or fear, Sage didn't know which. He had thick-framed black glasses that were scrunched up uncomfortably close to his face and were digging into the bridge of his nose.  
  
Gathering his courage and pushing back his fear Sage turned the boy onto his back. He was dirty and skinny, skinnier even than Sage. At this observation Sage grimaced in fear, not _of_ the boy at his feet but _for_ him. He suddenly felt a kinship with the youth, a calm sort of acceptance for his plight. Not knowing what else to do he hauled the boy onto his shoulder and stood, surprised by his lightness even after observing it. He shook his head and his eyes darkened dangerously. He   
didn't know who had done this, but he wouldn't allow it to continue.  
  
He moved on again toward the town and ignored the strange glances as he headed straight for the inn. He moved around it and into the stable. He nodded toward Ran before moving toward the side door that skirted around the bar instead of through it. He knew from the sounds coming from the place that he didn't want to carry the boy through there.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It hurt to breathe. It was the first thing he knew when he awoke. The air was so stifling hot that it actually made his throat ache with every breath he inhaled. Harry opened his bright green eyes and shifted. The room was light even with the curtains drawn, but he didn't recognize the place.  
  
He was under a blanket which he removed immediately, and looked over at the bedside table. His glasses sat there, a dark splotch against the brown wood, but they weren't what caught Harry's attention. Someone was laying on the floor next to the bed he occupied. Harry picked up his glasses quickly and looked down at the boy.  
  
His eyebrows knitted together a moment in confusion before the night's events shot back into his mind...  
  
_The Death Eater's own wand was pointed at Harry's chest and Harry heard a low rumble of laughter from the man.  
  
A bright flash of silver light flashed behind his tightly closed lids__…  
_  
Harry shook his head and sat up in the bed. He took his eyes off the boy on the floor for a moment and looked at his surroundings. The room was plain and everything in it was made of wood. There was an oil lamp sitting on the floor near the other boy and dull green curtains hanging in front of the windows.  
  
Harry stood silently, moved to the window and pulled the curtain aside. He was assaulted with dirty, sandy surroundings. He thought for a moment that he had done some magic and transported himself to the desert until he saw the lush green forest in the distance. He wondered how anything could live in this heat.  
  
He didn't seem to be facing a street; he figured he was probably at the back of whatever building he was in. He was on the second story and there seemed to be many fenced in paddocks before him. Though they were all empty.  
  
Harry turned back to the teen on the floor and looked more closely at him. What little cloths he had were dirty and torn, his skin was dark tan and sallow. He was very thin and looked malnourished. Harry sympathized.  
  
Harry then noticed the red irritation on the boys back and moved closer. A few small cuts were visible, the dark dried blood a sharp contrast to the mute tans of dirt and skin. But then Harry saw something that made his legs feel like jell-O. Scars... Hundred of scars, one on top of the other, littered the boys back. They looked like whip marks and Harry had to sit down next to the boy on the floor to keep from falling. His eyes prickled and he felt himself grow angry for the boy.  
  
The teen moaned and stirred. Harry did nothing, just sat and waited. He was sitting behind the other boy, looking at his back so he wasn't seen right away.  
  
The other boy glanced up at the bed Harry had found himself in, jumping when he discovered it empty. He sat up suddenly, rigid, and his startled blue eyes snapped around for not even half a moment before locking with Harry's green ones.  
  
The boy relaxed visibly and settled himself more comfortably in front of Harry, not breaking eye contact.  
  
"Hi." he said quietly, but not timid in any way. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
Harry nodded stiffly, still shocked and angry over the boy's scars. The teen in front of him saw the look in his eye but didn't seem frightened by Harry's anger, just intrigued, curious.  
  
"Who did that to you?" Harry asked suddenly, breaking the silence. His anger made his voice break, but even in its shallow quiet tone it seemed like yelling next to the slightly older boy's words.  
  
Sage looked confused a moment and Harry gestured toward his back. Under normal circumstances Sage knew he would have been upset at the question and his response would have been testy and guarded. But for some inexplicable reason he trusted the strangely dressed green-eyed boy that had appeared before him in a flash of light two nights ago.  
  
"I was in an orphanage, in Sesshu a town north of Mount Toha. The man who ran it beat me if he noticed me. He said a good boy shouldn't be noticed." Sage said. His eyes darkened slightly but other than that he gave no sign of discomfort with the subject.  
  
Harry was upset, but tried desperately to smile encouragingly. He failed.  
  
"I'm Sage," the boy said, extending his hand.  
  
"Harry, Harry Potter." he replied, shaking Sage's hand.  
  
Sage furrowed his brow. "Why does your name have two parts?"  
  
Then it was Harry's turn to look confused. "Potter's my family name."  
  
Sage nodded, even though he didn't understand. Harry looked as though he wanted to ask something, but didn't. A moment later someone knocked on the door and Sage stood quickly to answer it. He came back a moment later with a plate full of strange looking food and it was then that Harry realized how hungry he was. Sage set the plate down between them and picked up a strange strip of dried meat with his fingers. Harry mimicked him, only eating something after watching Sage eat it.  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was a few minutes after they had finished eating, and Sage told Harry how he had found him two days ago after a flash of silver light. Harry was chewing the inside of his cheek in worry and confusion. _Am I allowed to tell him I'm a wizard? He has a very strange accent and none   
of the towns he's mentioned even sound remotely familiar. Where am I?_

  


"Sage, what country are we in?" Harry asked, after Sage looked at him curiously. The two seemed enormously comfortable in each other's company considering the circumstances and could read each other's emotions with ease.  
  
"I don't know what you mean?" Sage said, genuinely clueless. "What's a country?"  
  
Harry didn't answer the question, but fear was creeping into his heart suddenly. _Could I have gone back in time somehow? Very far back before electricity and... Wait, why wouldn't he know what a country is? He's obviously more advanced than a caveman.  
_  
"Have you ever heard of a place called England?" Harry asked. As Sage shook his head Harry fell back to lean against the wall. This can't be good.  
  
Sage leaned forward, inquisitive. "Are you a wizard from Bask? Have you come from there?"  
  
Harry sat up very suddenly at that. He asked if I'm a wizard? He knows about magic? That will make this a lot easier, but what's Bask?  
  
"Yes, I'm a wizard, but I'm from a country called England." Harry said, watching Sage nod.  
  
"Than no wonder I've never heard of this 'country' called 'England', I've only met a couple of wizards in passing. And it's common knowledge that normal folk aren't supposed to meddle in the affairs of wizards and witches. So what was it like? Training in the Hall of Bask?" Sage looked alert and excited at the prospect of hearing about this training but Harry had no idea what to say.  
  
"Sage, what do you call this place? Not the town, but this town and all the others? What do you call it all?"  
  
Sage frowned at the question. "What do you mean? The Realm of Keels of course. Is that what you're asking?" He leaned forward then and checked Harry's forehead. Harry had gone deathly pale and rigid at the name, as though he recognized it.  
  
_After I was taken by the silver light, it was a dream I think. But that's where I was. A place called the Realm of Keels. A different dimension, plane of reality or something. A different universe in itself._ Harry swallowed deeply and felt himself go light headed. Sage looked   
on, fear in his eyes at Harry's sudden change in demeanor. _ I dreamed about this place and then appeared here..._

  


~*~*~  
  
Morning was still far off back at Hogwarts, when Sage's now bright blue eyes opened slowly. He shivered and held the thick covers closer around his body. It hadn't been the first time he had dreamt about the past, but it was certainly strange thinking about Harry's first reaction to Keels after experiencing something very similar here on Earth. Sage smiled at the thought of his younger self after he had met the boy called Harry Potter. Everything had changed, he had no longer been afraid. No matter what, during the entire life-threatening trip from Sasho to Bask and even in Mula during the final ordeal to leave the Hall of Bask, he had never been afraid like he had before he met Harry.  
  
He smiled widely and got up. He walked into what Harry called the 'Common Room' and sat in one of the fluffy leather chairs. Thankful that the fires in this castle never seemed to fade or dwindle, but still missing the warmth of his bed. He sat there for a few minutes before he realized Harry was sitting in the chair beside him, watching him with amused eyes.  
  
Sage smiled at his friend and looked longingly at the blanket Harry had himself wrapped in. Harry took the hint, he stood and pushed his chair right up against Sage's and draped the blanket over them both.

  


They sat in silence for another long moment. "I dreamt about the past last night." Harry said as he glanced at Sage.  
  
Sage nodded. "Me too. About when you first arrived in Keels."  
  
Harry nodded, smiling. "How do we do that?" At Sage's look he elaborated. "Share dreams I mean."  
  
Sage shrugged. "Why were we always so comfortable with each other and why could we read each other's emotions so well and how did we get into and out of Bask together?" he paused and looked up at Harry with an amused smirk on his face. "Magic."

  
  
  
  


((A/N: I discovered last time that not replying to each review individually wasn't very nice of me and I have amended my mistake. I will be replying to each of you individually from now on.

  


I want to make a quick recommendation. _I recommend that anyone interested read "The Sky is Quickly Changing" by Crying Willow. _ She's my beta, and she's really good. You all should support her (plus I think her stories going to be great!). Thank you and review!

  


_TaioraCrazedGirl_ - I hope you enjoyed this and thank you.

  


_Facade1_ - You aren't a dork!!! And I'm not worried about you, you seem perfectly fine to me. Or maybe I just want you to review again... Hmmm... Anyway, thank you for reviewing and I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, Ron's wife is important I don't think it will hurt anything to tell you that and thanks a lot about the Harry/Hermione thing, that scene was very important to me and I'm glad you liked it. Cheers.

  


_Kylena_ - Don't cry! You'll find out a lot more about the new Mrs. Ronald Weasley later, I promise. Thank you for reviewing. *hands Kylena a tissue*

  


_Rachel A. Prongs_ - Don't worry, you'll get your romance soon enough. My beta wants good Harry/Hermione moments in the next chapter and I'm going to try not to disappoint her. So that's good for you too. Thank you for the review! Have a lovely day.

  


_Maxx77_ - Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoyed chapter four.

  


_Nyoko_ - You type pretty well to me. No need to stalk me though, I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. I'm glad you weren't mad, but I learned my lesson. I like the more personal interaction. I had fun in Cali, thank you very much and now I'm blonde. *grins* Whether or not they have more fun is yet to be determined however.

  


_Potter-man1_ - Thank you for the review and I'm sorry this took awhile. I hope you liked it.

  


_Tropic_ - Here's More! Thank you for reviewing.

  


_Cataclysmic _- Thank you for the review and I hope you enjoyed this!

  


_Sapphire Lotus_ - Thank you for reviewing. You'll have to wait to find out about Ron's wife though, but everything will come together.

  


_Hinkypunk2_ - Thank you, I'm honored that you think this on par with Jedi! That's a big compliment as far as I'm concerned (I'm a big fan of the movies). Thank you for reviewing!

  


_DaBear_ - Yeah, Earth based magic isn't much more advanced than when he left, he's just better at what he already knew, but he doesn't really need most of it anymore. As far as the new wand is concerned you'll just have to wait and see. Thank you for reviewing.

  


_Michelline _- Thank you, I hope you enjoyed this look into Keels. Hermione will have a more active role in chapter five, I think. It hasn't been written yet so I can't be sure. Thank you for reviewing.

  


_Hallie_ - *hands Hallie a hanky so she can wipe the drool* I'm glad you're enjoying it but you don't want to short out your keyboard! And anyone else who tries to use your computer might get mad at me for the drool. lol. J/k Thank you for reviewing and I hope you continue to enjoy.

  


_OrionTheHunter_ - I like your name and I hope you enjoyed this. Thank you for the review.

  


_Apeman_ - Yeah, I'm thinking about a companion piece, but you're right I'm not going to even start it until this story is done. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Keels. Thank you for reviewing. 

  


_Shawn Pickett_ - No answers in this chapter I'm afraid but they're coming. Thank you for reviewing and I'll try my best to keep up the level of writing in the first three chapters!

  


_Ears91 _- I will say nothing yet, I don't want to give myself away about Ron's wife. I'm glad you're enjoying this and thank you for reviewing. 

  


_Kyra2_ - Yeah, I myself have a great appreciation for Snape and they are going to get along better, though far from actual friendship. As far as I know anyway. There will be more Harry/Hermione in the next chapter with any luck. Thank you for reviewing. 

  


_Fiona Opal_ - Oh yes, this is going somewhere. Don't worry about sounding like an idiot, it was a completely justified question (justified isn't the word I wanted there, but I've been awake since 2:00 this morning and I'm crashing, you'll have to forgive me.) I had fun in Cali, thank you, and tried to past as fast as I could.

  


_Makotochi_ - Thank you for reviewing and I'm glad you are enjoying this.

  


_Lord Marix_ - Thank you and I'm glad you're enjoying this.

  


_Angel Star194_ - I tried my best to hurry. Thank you for reviewing. 

  


_Lightning Rain_ - Yeah, I'm considering a companion piece but I'm not going to attempt it until this is done. I hope you liked this glimpse into Keels.

  


_Gaul1_ - Thank you for reviewing and I'm very glad you enjoyed everything and I hope you continue to.

  


_NyteShade_ - _NS_- thank you. _MS_- thank you as well. _NS_- I hope you didn't have to wait too long. Thank you for reviewing. 

  


_Rain Warrior_ - Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the rest of it.

  


_A.M.bookworm247 _- I'm glad you got a hold of a computer and I hope you didn't get in trouble with your teacher. You are more than welcome to repeat yourself, and in fact I encourage it! Thank you for reviewing!))


	6. Chapter Five: Already Lost?

Disclaimer: I'm sorry to say that I own absolutely nothing...

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long, it was a strange transition for me. I hope you guys all like it, I know it's short but it is the last chapter before things start going really fast. Let me know what you think, I tried to show you a new aspect of Kip's personality,_ tried _is the important word here. Please read and review! Cheers!

New Moon  
  
Chapter Five: Already Lost?  
  
She focused on the soft clicking sound that echoed through the corridors with each step. The closer she got to Harry's room the more she doubted the simple motion that brought her there. Hermione turned around suddenly and headed back in the direction she had come. _Not now... later._ Yes, that was it, she'd see Harry later.  
  
She hadn't gotten a moment alone with him since before lunch yesterday. Since the kiss...  
  
She turned again and started back toward his room. Breath ragged she ran a hand over her forehead. _Why am I trembling? It's just Harry... _She stopped walking and took a deep breath. _Just Harry? When was he ever JUST Harry? I can't even remember anymore. Oh Merlin, Harry Potter if that kiss was some mistake...  
_  
She couldn't complete her thought. It was painful... the doubt was painful. She wanted to talk to him. No, she definitely didn't want to talk to him, but she needed to... desperately.

  


She stopped in front of a large oak door, hesitating. She turned again and started walking away. Shaking her head and muttering to herself. Berating words at her own stupidity.  
  
She turned again and headed back to the door, a determined expression on her face.  
  
Looking up at the door she gasp out loud in surprise. The door was wide open and Harry and Sage where standing there, watching her, and holding in laughter. She stared at them in shock... at Harry.  
  
"Did you want to see me Hermione?" Harry asked innocently.

  


Hermione couldn't move, or speak. She didn't have to. Sage took one last look at her before pushing Harry out the door and shutting it behind him. Harry glanced back at the now closed door and shook his head. He looked back at Hermione. They stood there for a long moment, not speaking or moving, just looking, seeing... feeling.  
  
Finally Hermione took a stumbling step forward, nearly losing balance. Harry caught her arms, concerned, and lowered his face to look directly into her eyes.  
  
"Are you alright Hermione?" his voice was soft and genuine, there was nothing Hermione could do to stop herself. She pushed forward abruptly, pushing his back against the door and kissed him soundly, passionately, and desperately.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Katherine Weasley paused as she entered the great school that was Hogwarts. She adjusted her immaculate robes. They were a deep, dark color, like her eyes, with just the smallest hint of chestnut. He hair was a platinum blond and was secured fashionably on top of her head. Her skin was smooth like sweet cream and porcelain pale. Her lips were ruby red and poised into a perfectly controlled and deceptively delicate smile. Everything about this young woman screamed poise and precision, but to Sage, who watched from a darkened corner, something was   
definitely off.  
  
Maybe it was the controlled movements and gaze, or the haute attitude. In all fairness this woman looked perfectly normal, but something was off.  
  
As Sage watched Ron Weasley entered the hall and moved quickly toward the woman with a large smile on his face.  
  
"Hello, my love!" he called as he approached.  
  
Sage watched Katherine for a reaction. There... in her eyes, some emotion, it looked like...  
  
But Sage couldn't be sure; it had gone too quickly. But he thought... maybe. But it was impossible.  
  
_I need to talk to Harry. _Sage thought, watching the two interact. It was almost normal now, except... not.  
  
Sage turned quickly and headed back toward their shared rooms. He knew Harry wasn't there, but he needed to think for a little while before he told Harry his suspicion. Maybe the two of them would have to do some tailing. Something was definitely off about Katherine Weasley, and it   
made Sage think very seriously about the last time Harry and him had really fought. When they had almost stopped being friends... but it couldn't be like that. Lorna was the only one Sage had ever heard of that had that kind of power. But then Sage remembered that he had never heard about it at all. The only reason he knew now was because he had experienced it first hand.  
  
Sage didn't know quite what to do. But he knew, whether he was right or wrong, things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"It was like he was under Imperius, but he wasn't. She didn't even have to talk, he just acted like she was controlling his mind." Hermione sighed and looked over at her silent companion. Harry sat next to her with an unusual expression across his eyes, something like remembrance, like this had happened to him before. Hermione watched him as he sat and thought, and she couldn't help but smile. It had finally happened. She was finally with Harry, and he was going to figure out what was wrong in the world and fix it.  
  
She would admit that she had been very startled when he told her he talked to Professor Snape. In fact she had nearly laughed, thinking it was a joke.  
  
The two of them had been sitting in the room of requirement talking for nearly an hour now. Well, Hermione would admit, they talked for at least a half an hour anyway. She smiled and blushed, still watching him. She wanted to kiss him again; his lips were soft and undemanding,   
but powerful. She loved the sweet shivers that raked her body when he kissed her.  
  
Suddenly Harry was standing. He turned to the door, as if debating whether he should stay or go. Hermione stood too, looking at him curiously. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision, and he turned to her.  
  
"I need to talk to Sage. I'm not sure yet..." he seemed to want to say something. He looked away, and mumbled something that sounded like a name, 'Lorna' or something like it. Hermione just waited.  
  
"Hmm." He mumbled. Hermione couldn't help but smile, she loved his thinking noises; they seemed to roll out from deep in his chest and throat, smooth and rough at the same time.  
  
He nodded, deciding and reached for the door handle. He pulled his hand back suddenly and turned to her as though forgetting something. He took her chin in his large, rough hand and kissed her lightly.  
  
"See you later?" he said softly, as though saying it any louder would ruin the moment.  
  
"Hmm." she murmured in agreement.  
  
Harry smiled briefly at her before turning away again and leaving. Hermione watched the closed door for a while with one hand covering her still tingling lips. She missed him already.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry walked into the common room that connected his, Sage's and Kip's rooms, and looked around. There was no sign of either of them. Kip was, in fact, a morning person, but it was still a bit too early for him to be awake. Harry moved to Sage's room and entered without knocking.   
Sage was sitting on his pillows with his comforter wrapped around him. He was reading a book and didn't look up when Harry entered.  
  
Harry moved closer, sat opposite him on the bed and looked at the book. It was written in Misk, which was on of the many written languages in Keels, and Harry recognized it at Sage's diary.  
  
They had both started keeping diaries of their journey's and adventures once they had reached the town of Meelo, on their way to the Hall of Bask. It had been a way of keeping themselves once they had entered Bask. They couldn't afford to forget. If they forgot, like so many others, and got comfortable, than they would be doomed to remain in the Hall of Bask until their deaths.  
  
They had brought the diaries along with a few important books when they journeyed back to Earth. They were hidden in a pocket of Sage's robes that had no bottom, just continued on for as long as you needed it.  
  
Sage read on, not looking up and seemingly oblivious to Harry's presence.  
  
"I saw her," he said suddenly, though Harry didn't look surprised at the outburst.  
  
"Who?" he asked calmly, tracing the stitching in the comforter he sat on.  
  
"Katherine Weasley," he replied, not looking up. "It felt the same, like Lorna."  
  
Harry nodded. "Hermione and I talked about it. What she described to me is almost exactly what I felt and observed of Lorna in Bask. I really hope we're wrong."  
  
Sage shook his head. "I know that's what we all want to believe, but Harry, if we wait too long..." He looked up then, his normally bright blue eyes misted with unshed tears.  
  
"If we wait too long then Ron might be gone forever..." Harry continued, looking back solemnly, "or he may already be lost."  
  
Sage nodded in affirmation. Looking back at his diary. "We need to get her alone so that-"  
  
"Hey guys are you up yet?" Kip's voice called through the closed door. Sage hastily replaced the book in his pocket and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Harry didn't turn away from his friend.  
  
"Yeah Kip, we're up." Sage called over Harry's shoulder as he began to stand. Harry didn't move, but followed Sage with his eyes._  
  
"E ened ought kal ought Dumbledore. Fii eonan ca leh su tege Ron ot foo het ya oso e ca kaat ecar foo Katherine, tii i hi."_ Harry said, before standing and following Sage to the door. Sage watched his friend curiously before nodding his agreement._  
  
(We need to talk to Dumbledore. If anyone can help us get Ron out of the way so we can take care of Katherine, it is him.)((Shile Tongue))_  
  
~*~*~  
  
Kip followed behind Harry and Sage with one eyebrow raised. He watched his master like a hawk; he was acting so strange, so distant. Over the last year Kip had come to look up to Sage like an older brother, and Sage in turn was overprotective of him. Sage was like that with people   
he cared about, he could be open and friendly on the outside and guarded on the inside, with strangers that is. Kip had learned to read when Sage didn't trust someone. The only one Sage seemed to trust completely was Harry. He wasn't stupid, he knew that Sage and Harry had secrets, things hidden in their pasts that they only shared with one another, and in a way he was a little jealous of Harry.  
  
He followed the two men in silence. Hogwarts were certainly an interesting place, very large and exciting. But for Kip something was missing. He guessed that after spending the last year with just Sage and Harry, the three of them with no one else around to answer to and no one they really trusted. He was finding himself lonely. It was such a large place and Harry's life was also very large and grand. Sage, being his best friend was inevitably pulled into the impersonal grandeur, and Kip was, quite frankly, overwhelmed. He felt lost in such a large world.  
  
Something was wrong, they were entering the great hall for breakfast, but Harry was fidgeting. A normal person would have missed it, but Kip had a great admiration for Harry, despite his jealousy, and studied the older man. Harry's right hand was tugging lightly on the hem of his   
robes. Kip looked closely at Harry's face as they walked to the head table. His expression betrayed nothing; he was still in control of his features. For some reason Harry's control comforted Kip. He didn't want to know what was wrong if it was ever bad enough that Harry Potter lost control of his emotions.  
  
As they sat at the head table Kip noticed a new person amongst them. A woman who sat next to Ron Weasley, Harry's friend. For some reason the woman made Kip shiver. She glanced at him and for a moment Kip's clear light brown eyes met Katherine Weasley's dark ones. Something in Kip's stomach constricted and a great cold ebbed into him. He doubled over in his chair and held his stomach tightly. Closing his eyes he focused on isolating the pain and blocking the sensations, a training exercise that Sage claimed could save his life.  
  
Kip felt comforting hands on his shoulders and looked up into the worried green eyes of Harry himself. Sage was staring unblinkingly before him, as though seeing something other than the students in the hall, but Harry's eyes were fixed on Kip.  
  
Harry crouched down beside his chair and wiped the sweat from his forehead.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked, voice laden with emotion... with concern.  
  
In that moment Kip wondered how he could ever have thought he was lost in this world, and he wondered how he could be jealous of Harry. It wasn't competition.  
  
"I feel cold." Kip replied quietly, his voice trembled. No one but Harry seemed to notice his discomfort. "It happened when I looked at her." Kip indicated toward Mrs. Weasley and Harry's eyes flickered up and then narrowed, as though she had attacked Kip on purpose and he was defending him. The sudden protectiveness in Harry made Kip's head spin and his eyes prickle with tears. He had never noticed before, never noticed that Harry cared, that he wasn't aloof and arrogant, he was just burdened.  
  
Harry looked back at Kip and his grip on the boy's shoulders tightened just a little before the gentle pressure left, and Harry moved to the headmaster's chair and whispered into the old man's ear. He moved back to Kip and offered his hand to the young man. Kip felt the edges of his mouth quirk up for a moment as he stood. He nearly fell over when the pain in his stomach and chest tightened painfully. Harry caught him halfway down and Sage's head shot up. His eyes widened and he stood quickly to help Harry with the boy.  
  
Harry looked over Sage's shoulder and saw Katherine Weasley staring at Kip, her gaze fixed and unwavering. At that moment Harry felt red hot anger flood through him and he fought to maintain his control. Harry moved to hold Kip securely and get the boy out of the room.  
  
It was then Dumbledore stood and moved over to help them. Harry's eyes blazed in anger as they met his former headmaster's and he moved Kip out of the man's reach. The old man had let this woman hurt people for too long without question, he didn't know who to trust and he didn't want   
someone to hurt his friends.  
  
With Sage's help Harry maneuvered Kip out of the hall and was heading back to their rooms. Kip was trembling, or shivering, violently. His skin was heating up in fever and sweat was streaming down him.  
  
It was confirmed, Harry knew now that Katherine held the same power Lorna had. They had to stop her soon, or they would lose Kip. Harry didn't know if he had already lost Ron. For some reason the pain of that was greatly overwhelmed by the thought of losing the boy he had only known for a year and a half.  
  
Harry and Sage settled Kip into his bed and pulled the blankets up close around him. Harry removed the long black wand from his hip the runic symbols shined brightly as Harry closed his eyes and focused._  
  
"Eh fillo de abudo aeh!"_ and slowly a stream of gold light leaked from the end of the wand like a thick liquid, it spilled onto Kip and moved up to his mid-section and absorbed through the blankets and cloths and into the skin. Harry stood back and watched as Kip's features relaxed   
slightly and the trembling lessened, but by no means disappeared.

  


Sage rested his hand on the boy's forehead and put him to sleep. He then looked up at Harry.  
  
"We have to do something now."  
  
Harry nodded, his jaw tight with anger. "I've asked Dumbledore to come here after breakfast. We'll sort this out. I won't let her hurt Kip   
again."  
  
Sage nodded resolutely and his eyes blazed with his own anger. Standing, his knuckles cracked as his fists tightened, and he took one deep breath before striding purposefully into the common room.

  
  


((A/N: Big thanks to Persephone, myBeta, for keeping my bad grammar as far from public view as possible.

  


I tried putting the replies in alphabetical order this time. Let me know if that works better!

  
  


_A.M.bookworm247 - _Thank you, as always, for taking the time to review. I'm glad you enjoyed the flashback and hope I continue to live up to your expectations. Thanks again. Cheers!

  


_ears - _Thank you for reviewing, I hope you continue to enjoy this story! __

  


_gallandro-82 - _I greatly appreciate you taking the time to write me the wonderful and long review! The strangeness of the Harry/Sage relationship is going to start to dissipate soon, I hope. Things are going to start speeding up after this chapter so I don't know too much about Sage/Kip scenes, but I'll see what I can do. I tried to show everyone a new view of Kip with this chapter and would really like to know what you think about him. You're right, I have left out Hagrid... I forgot about him completely... Hermione is the new DADA teacher, remember, it was in an earlier chapter. The rest of the Weasley's will be joining the story shortly, now that the Katherine Weasley conflict is ready to come to a head. Thank you again. Cheers!__

  


_Hawk - _I'm glad you enjoy this so much. Six times! That's crazy! In a good way of course. I hope you continue to enjoy it, and you can thank my good grammar on my Beta Persephone! Thank you for reviewing! Cheers!__

  


_Kyra2 - _Sorry there wasn't any Snape in this chapter. I'll have to remember to add him in a little more for you since you don't seem a huge H/Hr fan. I'll work in it, maybe he can have a more active role... Thank you for reviewing, it's always pleasant to see familiar pen names. Cheers!__

  


_Lightening Rain - _French eh? I can say "May I please go to the bathroom?" in Italian. That's what I learned after three years of the class. ANYway, I'm glad you enjoyed Keels, as for your other questions... you'll have to wait and see. Though you'll be finding out about Little Mrs. Weasley soon enough. Cheers!__

  


_Maxx77 - _Thank you for reviewing! I know, this took forever, you'll have to forgive me. Thank you for the compliment. Cheers!__

  


_micah - _Sorry this took so long. Thanks for the review. It's been forever since someone has called me dude, it's kind of refreshing. Cheers!__

  


_NyteShade - _Thank you for reviewing and I'm glad you liked it. As it looks right now I will be writing a companion piece (after the completion of this story) that will tell the ENTIRE story of Harry's stay in the Realm of Keels and the Hall of Bask. But it probably wont be for a while. Thanks again, Cheers!__

  


_Nyoko - _I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I'm sorry this took so long. I'm no longer a blonde (the dark brown roots looked funny) but I have come to the conclusion that while blondes may have more fun, they definitely get hit on by more old men... gross. I'm probably going to write a companion piece, a sort of pre-New Moon that tells the entire story of what happened in Keels, however, I'm not even going to attempt such a thing until after this story is finished. Thanks again for reviewing. Cheers!

  


_Otspock - _I'm glad my story intrigues you. Thank you for reviewing! I'd write a longer reply but my hands are starting to hurt. Cheers!__

  


_Paradox01 - _I'm glad you like the twists, and the H/Hr. I'm always scared about choosing pairings in Harry Potter stories, some people can't be pleased no matter who I put the main character with... rambling... sorry... Thank you for reviewing, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Cheers!__

  


_star 67 - _I'm glad you are enjoying this so much. I have no intention of stopping writing this story, so you needn't fear it. I hope you continue to like this, thank you for reviewing! Cheers!__

  


_starz - _Thank you SO much! I'm glad you like it. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Cheers!__

  


_TaioraCrazedGirl - _Thank you again for reviewing, it's always pleasant hearing from you. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and hope you liked this one too. I'm sorry it took so long to get out. Cheers!))

  
  
  



	7. Chapter Six: Dark Lady Falls

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...

Author's Note: I've finally got to some action. I hope everyone enjoys this! Please review, I like to know what you think.

New Moon  
  
Chapter Six: Dark Lady Falls  
  
Katherine's dark eyes flitted up briefly as two men and a boy entered the Great Hall silently. The one she knew to be Harry Potter walked with his head held high and his emotions controlled. She met his eyes and began to use her powers to enter his mind. She needed eye contact, initially, but once she had his mind she had him. The green eyes were limitless and as she entered. Suddenly she stopped as she hit a barrier, a wall that prevented further penetration. She tightened her jaw and pushed harder. He seemed to notice her struggle, as the corner of his mouth twitched at her well hidden anger. Yes, she knew he saw her anger.  
  
But she wasn't deterred; she had to get to him, even if she had to do it through someone else. She looked at the man beside Harry. Ron had told her his name was Sage. Sage's blue eyes were locked before him, not even glancing in her direction as she stared at him. She knew he would   
look up eventually, they always did. It was a sixth sense deeply ingrained in humans. They felt it when they were being watched.  
  
The three had reached the head table and sat down. She furrowed her brow a fraction and focused on Sage. Harry leaned forward, looking only in front of him, and blocked her view of his friend. Her heart began to beat rapidly. _Does he know? No, it's impossible. _Somehow, she knew that Harry had, at least, a basic idea of what she was trying to do.

  


Katherine looked away at last, focusing instead on her food. If she stared at the newcomers for too long someone may notice. _Like that Granger girl_, she thought with a sneer. She hated Hermione Granger. It was hard, knowing that she could have control over almost any man alive,   
but that she would go mad if she even dared to enter another woman's brain. She wanted to huff and push her seat back in her anger, but she knew she wouldn't allow herself to.  
  
It was at that moment she chanced a glance at the three again. Harry and Sage continued to stare resolutely in front of them but the boy, Kip, was looking right at her. She wasted no time in invading his mind. She flipped around in his mind and hooked a strong arm of power into the   
pain center of his brain. She looked away. Now that she was connected to him she would always be. There was no way that she knew of for anyone to break that link. She smiled delightedly as she squeezed on his pain center. Her power moved around in his brain, giving him other reactions. If Harry Potter wanted to resist her power than that was just fine, but he would pay with the lives of those he held dear. She sent another shock of pain to Kip and smiled as she saw him exit the Hall. Harry didn't glance over his shoulder at her and she relaxed. Maybe he didn't know that much at all...  
  
~*~*~  
  
Sage didn't turn away from the window when Harry let Dumbledore in several minutes later. His hands, still held in tight fists at his sides, were trembling with emotion.  
  
"Albus," Harry began, his voice harsh with his own anger, "you need to get us alone with Katherine Weasley."  
  
Dumbledore blinked benignly, obviously thinking the conversation was going to be about Kip. "I don't believe I understand why, Mr. Potter?"  
  
Harry smiled in a spiteful sort of way. "You wouldn't would you, professor."  
  
"Listen, it's simple." Sage turned, his voice ragged and unyielding."She has control over Ron, complete control over him in fact. She may have control over others to a slightly lesser degree. Kip's discomfort in the Great Hall... that was her, she attacked him."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes were wide with surprise, but also guarded, as though he were reluctant to agree.  
  
"Albus," Harry began again, schooling his voice and features to seem gentler than he felt at the moment. "We dealt with someone with this power before, we know how to handle it, we know what it looks like. If it isn't true, if it's all just some strange coincidence, then what we do will not harm her in anyway. But if it is true we have to stop her before she hurts anyone else.  
  
"We don't know the extent of the damage yet, but Ron may be too far gone to save after this. And there is no way of telling who or how many other's she may have under her control."  
  
Sage took several steps toward them, controlling his own features into determination instead of anger. "All we need you to do is get us alone with her and keep Ron away. He will try to get to us when she calls him. And she will call him, if she feels threatened."  
  
Dumbledore stood thunderstruck and stared at them. Finally he nodded, swallowing past a lump in his throat. He jumped when someone knocked on the door and Harry answered it silently.  
  
Standing before him was none other than Ron and Katherine, with Hermione and Remus behind them, somewhat apprehensively. Ron had his arm around Katherine's shoulders and was smiling brightly. Katherine herself sported a small, meek looking smile. Harry smiled tightly and gestured them inside. As Katherine and Ron entered Harry shot a look at Albus. He nodded and moved forward.  
  
"Mr. Weasley, may I speak with you a moment in the hall?" he asked quickly, taking Ron's arm and leading him away.  
  
"Of course, is anything wrong professor?" they heard Ron reply as Dumbledore led him quickly around a corner. Katherine was standing just inside the room and was watching Harry intently. Harry's smile disappeared and he turned to Hermione and Remus.  
  
"Don't enter this room no matter what you hear from the inside, and keep Ron out at all costs," he said firmly. As they nodded, Katherine rushed toward the door, eyes wide. Harry slammed it before her and locked it with a wave of his hand, keeping her inside.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" she said, dropping the meek persona and holding her head impossibly high.  
  
Sage and Harry said nothing, but began to circle her. She moved unconsciously to the center of the room as they circled. Sage kept his eyes slightly lowered, not allowing her to enter his mind. She bared her teeth at them. Harry removed the long black wand from where it lay dormant at his side. He said nothing, just sliced it though the air. At the movement, all the furniture in the room slid to the walls and out of the way, scraping across the stone floors.  
  
Harry focused his wand and pointed it at Katherine. He muttered something, inaudible. Then said out loud, "Let's see what you're made of."  
  
As the two of them watched Katherine's skin began to melt away and dissolve. In its place blackness remained, a fog, but thicker, like oil or molasses. It rotated around its center, like the storms of Jupiter or the wind of a tornado. Slowly her entire body disappeared into the blackness. They watched in silence as her transformation took place. Harry replaced the wand at his side and clenched his fists.  
  
Suddenly more of the black fog became visible. Great arms shot off in different directions. One arm in particular made Harry squeeze his eyes shut a moment to control his anger. It led into Kip's room, where her power continued to attack the boy. There were other arms too; some close to the other's some far away. But one in particular was thicker then the others. Harry knew whom that arm connected too... Ron.  
  
Both Harry and Sage squared their shoulders' and moved to one of the black arms. Harry moved to the one leading to Kip, Sage to one at random. They left the one connected to Ron alone, that one would need them both to sever.  
  
Harry moved his hand out toward the black arm and a familiar silver mist swirled and solidified around it. It moved to encircle the arm, like a giant snake of silver it wrapped itself around the appendage. Harry knew that Sage's magic was mimicking his on the other side of the blackness but he could not see him. Harry focused on his magic, and like the giant snake it appeared to be, it began to tighten until it constricted the arm painfully. Harry's face screwed up in concentration   
and he squeezed tighter. A high pitched cry broke the silence of the room; it was coming from what remained of Katherine. The arm dissolved with a snap under the silver energy and it disappeared. Harry's magic hung in the air for a moment longer, shimmering, before disappearing   
too. Harry smiled, turned to the next arm, and began the process again.  
  
Sage was doing something on the other side of the room that was very similar; his purple magic cracked and snapped in its very electrified way and attacked each arm. Instead of coiling around an arm as Harry's magic had, Sage's magic slipped through and broke it apart. It wasn't as efficient, it wasted magic, but it got the job done and Sage smiled in satisfaction.  
  
It was with another shriek that the black mass in the center of the room sent out three new arms. One sped quickly toward Sage and the other two toward Harry. Sage held out his hand and caught the arm with his magic. The pressure was immense and it pushed him back until he was pushed up against the wall.  
  
Harry caught one of the arms with his magic but the other caught his left knee. With a grown he fell to the ground. He rolled onto his back, holding the second arm at bay with his magic and pulled out his long black wand from his belt, looking at the arm attached to his leg. He held his wand tightly in his fist, like it was a dagger instead of a wand. He sliced downward and speared the offending appendage, trapping it against the floor. It wiggled as it tried to loosen the wand that pinned it and escape, but the wand wouldn't budge. Harry stood, panting slightly and looked down at his knee - it was torn and bleeding.  
  
He returned his attention to the first arm, as it struggled against his magical hold. Harry concentrated and the silver magic surrounded the arm and destroyed it in one blast of energy. Harry moved back to the second arm, pinned to the stone floor. His magic attacked it suddenly,   
angry that he had allowed himself to be injured. The silver mist tore destructively at the arm of black fog, and it disappeared with another shriek from Katherine.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione looked at Remus as Harry slammed the door, locking Katherine inside with Sage and himself. She was glad Harry knew what to do, but afraid. _What if something happens to him? I don't know if I can take that again..._ The look in Remus' eyes said the same.  
  
A loud yell sounded from the direction Albus and Ron had taken. Ron came barreling around the corner, his eyes glazed and unfocused. He was yelling and his wand was held tightly in his hand. Albus came around the corner after him and fired a stupefy at his back. It hit and he staggered. His head lolled to one side as he passed out but his body continued to move toward them.  
  
"Stop him at any cost!" Albus yelled from down the hall and Remus pushed forward.  
  
Despite appearances Remus was more than a little strong. His werewolf blood gave him strength enough to tackle someone athletic like Harry, or Sage. Ron was a push over. While taller than Remus, Ron was still paper light and weak, and because of his height his balance was poor.  
  
Remus pushed Ron back and pinned him against the wall, effectively keeping him from the door. Suddenly black smoke or smog filtered into the air and materialized into arms that stretched right through the walls of the room Katherine was in. One arm shot out to Ron and circled his head in a tight hold. It covered his features and his eyes and Ron growled and pushed against Remus.  
  
Another, thinner arm of black led to Dumbledore. It was thin, nothing compared to the large blackness connected to Ron. It connected to Dumbledore's temple, and as it became visible he shuddered and his eyes rolled back into his head. As he began to collapse Hermione caught him   
with a quick charm and he floated gently to the ground where he lay unconscious. She looked back at Remus and the struggling Ron. She didn't know what to do. Remus looked back at her and seemed to convey the same confusion.  
  
With a gasp Dumbledore woke and sat up. He breathed deeply and moved his hand to his temple where the black arm had moments before connected him to Katherine. It was gone now; it evaporated with a suddenness that drew Hermione's attention to the door.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Harry limped forward a little so that he didn't have to stretch his magic far. They were down to nearly half a dozen arms and Katherine seemed to be losing power with each severed limb. Harry catalogued this information with the rest, realizing that Lorna had obviously been in a lot more control of her power. He thought it might have to do with how scattered Katherine's power was. She had spread it thin through so many individuals that it left a lot of room for error.  
  
Sage made brief eye contact with him as he severed another arm. Harry smiled back grimly and sent his magic out. At the rate they were going, it would all be over very soon.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Severus Snape had had just about enough surprises as he could stand in such a short space of time. As he rounded a corner he stopped and sighed in frustration. He hated not having any idea what was going on.  
  
The headmaster sat on the ground before him, looking quite startled. Just up the hall Remus held Ron Weasley against the wall as the man struggled blindly with some strange black power connected to him. Hermione Grange stood near them watching the headmaster.  
  
Snape strode quickly to Dumbledore's side and helped the old man to his feet. Dumbledore swayed for a moment before righting himself. Together, they moved down the hall and stood before the door that led to Harry, Sage and Kip's rooms. Snape looked over his shoulder at Ron.  
  
Blood was running from the man's mouth. He had most likely bitten his own tongue. The potions master looked away. He focused on the door and listened intently to the sounds within.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Together Harry and Sage moved to the last black appendage. Harry closed his eyes for a moment and said a quick prayer for his once friend. He had little doubt that this would ruin what was left of Ron's mind, but he held to hope.  
  
He extended his hands at the same time Sage did, eyes once again focused on the arm. It squirmed as they gathered their magic around it. Harry's mist and Sage's electricity fused together and snapped and cracked a blinding white. They applied a great amount of pressure to the arm and, as they did, Katherine did something desperate. She ripped the arm back, trying to pull the power back to her before it was severed.  
  
Harry had only a moment to react. He grabbed the arm with his hands. He flinched as he felt it burn and cut his skin. Sage almost lost control of his magic but together they continued to cut at the arm.  
  
Katherine screamed, high pitched and deafening. The arm was severed and Harry and Sage were thrown back. Harry lay on his back and stared at the ceiling for a long moment in the silence.  
  
He sat up; Sage had done the same on the other side of the room.  
  
Katherine sat on the floor in the center of the room. She was completely naked; the swirling smoke had ripped off her immaculate robes. In her true form her skin was a pitch black that only greyed slightly in the palms of her hands and bottoms of her feet. Her hair and eyes were black and she was covered in vivid blue cuts. She bled a dark blue, almost purple, from the cuts and a puddle slowly formed around her.  
  
She turned her hollow eyes to Harry.  
  
"He will not be pleased," she said quietly. Her voice was scratchy and oppressively high pitched.  
  
"No, he will not." Harry replied simply. She smiled humorlessly and closed her eyes. Death was all that awaited her now. Whether at the hands of the man before her, or the slow and painful slaughter incurred on those who failed the Dark Lord. Sage approached from behind her and   
unsheathed his sword.  
  
"May you find peace in oblivion." he said quietly as he swiftly ran the blade across her neck. She choked for a moment before slumping to the floor lifelessly.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ron let out a loud scream as a similar scream echoed from behind the door. The black that surrounded his head pulled away with a suddenness that made Remus step back in shock. Ron fell to the ground slowly, slumped over in unconsciousness.  
  
They looked from him to the door and stood in anticipation. It was silent now. It was an agonizing minute and a half before the door creaked open and Sage stood there, out of breath and trembling slightly from exertion. He pushed past them to Ron and knelt beside him, checking for a pulse.  
  
Harry came out a moment later, equally out of breath but not trembling. His hands and left knee were bleeding profusely as he limped toward Sage.  
  
"Well?" he asked after a long moment.  
  
Sage had pried Ron's mouth open and was examining it with a tight expression. He sighed audibly, "I can't tell if he died when she ripped her power away, or when he bit off and swallowed his own tongue."  
  
Hermione gasped loudly and Remus caught her shoulders as she nearly fell. Snape's eyes widened as he looked down at Ron, only now seeing the slightly blue hue to his lips under the glossy coating of blood.  
  
Harry closed his eyes for a moment and turned. "I'm going to check on Kip."

  


Sage watched his friend's retreating form as Harry limped back into the room. As he did so the door swung open to give him a full view of Katherine. She was still lying on the floor. They hadn't moved her yet. He had to remember to make sure that Kip didn't see her.  
  
Snape's gaze found Katherine as well and he moved slowly into the room, followed by the others. Sage stood behind them all, lost in memories, before he slowly began to speak.  
  
"When Harry and I first arrived at the Hall of Bask we were kept separate from the other 'students'. It wasn't until six months after our initial acceptance that we met the first of the others. Lorna was a girl who appeared to be a little older than us. She was tall and thin with chin length blond hair and the deepest, darkest eyes I had ever seen." He sighed as he looked at the closed eyes of Katherine.  
  
"Harry and her didn't get along at all, he wasn't susceptible to the power that she held over me. Harry compared it to a Veela, or something called the Imperius curse. You saw it, those great arms of black that connect her to those she seeks to control." he looked away from Katherine as Harry reentered the room and closed Kip's door soundlessly behind him.  
  
"He's sleeping comfortably," he said to Sage. He looked at the others. "Katherine wasn't as experienced as Lorna. Lorna only controlled those close to her and concentrated on three or four powerful links at a time. When she wanted to control someone else, she would sever one of her other connections. More often than not those severed connections left the men connected to them brain dead." He looked at Sage and something passed between them. "Lorna hated that she couldn't break into my head." He looked at Snape and Dumbledore. "It was like when Voldemort tried to control me in the Ministry of Magic, it wasn't a clear or blank mind that can resist that kind of control, it was the emotional kind. I learned how to block her completely with my emotions."  
  
"It drew us into hundreds of arguments. Lorna didn't have to make me argue in her favor, she just placed these overwhelming feelings of love for her in my heart. We nearly severed ties with each other after a good year of non-stop fighting. Nearly killing each other several times with our developing powers." Sage said gravely. He looked back at Harry, his expression apologetic, as though he thought no amount of apologizing would rectify the rift that had once existed.  
  
Harry put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "I wasn't about to throw away my only friend in that world for Lorna, so I confronted her. After quite a struggle and a lot of throwing power around, I figured out how to really fight her. She panicked, and like Katherine called Ron she called Sage."  
  
He broke off then, and squeezed Sage's shoulder tightly for a moment in silent support. "I'll leave it at, we won. But it nearly cost both our lives. Sage almost lost his when Lorna's power was ripped away from him, and I almost lost mine to him."  
  
They stood in silence for a while. "Why could she only control men?" Snape asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"We aren't sure of much. We don't know why their powers work like that, only that they do. We also know that they are basically immortal, though we have no idea if they would die on their own eventually after a certain number of years. We only know that they definitely live longer then humans." Harry answered. He shook his head.  
  
"I think I'm going to head to the hospital wing." he said after a long moment. His hands and knee where wrapped in white cloth but blood was starting to stain through. Harry moved toward the door and Sage followed silently. The other's stared at the black corpse at their feet, wondering how she had been in their midst for so long... unchecked and unchallenged.

  


Responses to reviews in alphabetical order:

  


_Auntie C_ - I hope you enjoyed the "butt kickin'" in this chapter! For some reason when I read your review I heard it with a southern accent... I thought I should share that with you, I don't usually add accents in my mind to reviews, but the Auntie C reminded me of Auntie M from the Wizard of Oz and... well... Anyway! Thank you for reviewing and I hope you continue to enjoy!

  


_ears91_ - Yeah, she was a psycho... Sorry about killing Ron on you, I didn't mean too... It just kind of came out of my fingers and then I stared at it for a while wondering where it came from, but what the fingers dictate is what the fingers dictate I'm afraid. I don't like arguing with them, when I do, then nothing comes out of them at all (That's their retaliation). I hope you continue to like this just the same. Thanks for reviewing!

  


_sabrina_ - Thank You!

  


_Kaye_ - I'm sorry I had to kill Katherine... now your name isn't really a character anymore (well, it's a dead one). But her death has been planned since I first created her... I hope you don't mind too much. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

  


_kento_ - From Ronin Warriors? I loved that show when I was little... (okay, maybe I wasn't THAT little) I hope you liked seeing Katherine's powers. Thank you for reviewing.

  


_Kyra2 _- I hope you understand her interest in Kip now. Snape wasn't actually supposed to be in this chapter but I added him in just a little for you. Because of that he will probably have a bigger role, since I kept him in the loop. Thanks as always for reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

  


_Maxx77 _- Thanks for reviewing as always! I hope I answered your questions about Lorna and I'm glad you weren't mad about the wait for the last chapter and I hope this one was worth it too.

  


_OrionTheHunter _- I hope this didn't take too long. Thank you for reviewing!

  


_Otspock_ - I'm really glad you like this! It's a honor coming from someone with such good taste in stories (I'm a big fan of a lot of the ones in your favorites). I hope you continue to enjoy this. Cheers!

  


_snifflers unite_ - Thank you for the wonderful compliments! I really enjoy stories when Harry finally gets the upper hand, but I know exactly what you mean about the back stories, that gets on my nerves. I'm glad I know that at least one person wont be mad at me for killing Ron. It actually wasn't planned that way... he was only supposed to lose his mind... (that's SO much better, I know) But this just kind of came out, so I left it. I hope you continue to enjoy this, thank you for reviewing!

  


_star 67_ - I'm sorry, I'm one of those people that start a chapter, then erase it and start it over, three or four times before I deem it worthy. That, by default, makes getting them out a longer affair then usual. I hope you didn't have to wait too long. Thank you for reviewing.

  


_the lost pen_ - Thank you for the wonderful compliments. I am planning a companion story to this one about Harry and Sage's time in Keels but I'm not going to start it until this story is finished. I'm glad you're enjoying this! Cheers!

  


_XoXMelJayXoX_ - I hope you didn't have to wait too long. Thank you for reviewing! Enjoy!

  



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